Hollow-bore Needles Research Articles

A Descriptive Study To Assess The Knowledge Of Undergraduate Students Regarding The Needle Stick Injury And Its Prevention In Smt. Lakshmi Bai Batra College Of Nursing, New Delhi

Background: A needle stick injury (NSI) is an accidental skin-penetrating stab wound from a hollow-bore needle containing another person’s blood or body fluid. Healthcare workers are at an occupational risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens following needle stick injuries and sharp injuries. Objective: To assess the knowledge of undergraduate students regarding needle stick injuries and its prevention in Smt. Lakshmi Bai Batra College of Nursing. Method and material: The research was conducted from December 22nd, 2022 on 62 students of Smt. Lakshmi Batra College of Nursing, Delhi. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample and data was collected through questionnaire for accessing the knowledge regarding needle stick injuries and its prevention. Result: 62 students of Smt. Lakshmi Bai Batra College of Nursing were taken as sample using purposive sampling technique and the finding of the study indicates that knowledge regarding needle stick injury is average among 61 students and poor among 1 student and good among 0 student. Conclusion: The study indicates that poor to average knowledge regarding needle stick injury & its prevention among undergraduate students of Smt. Lakshmi Bai Batra College of Nursing

Characterization and Evaluation of a Government Health Center’s Bloodborne Pathogen Exposures (BBPE) Monitoring Program

Background: A vital role of hospital employee health is the management, characterization, and targeted prevention of bloodborne pathogen exposures (BPPE) among healthcare workers. A comprehensive review of a health center’s BPPE over time was conducted to identify areas for improvement and target education and training, given changes in BBPE standard operating procedures (SOPs) over time. Methods: A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted on deidentified BBPE cases reported to employee health at VA Connecticut Healthcare System from 1995-2023 (N=296) using R statistical software. Results: The highest number of BBPE occurred among trainee physicians (N=103, 34.8%, especially surgery and internal medicine), registered nurses (N=60, 20.3%), and non-trainee physicians (N=45, 15.2%). The most frequently implicated devices were hollow-bore (N=103, 34.8%) and suture needles (N=60, 20.3%). Most BBPE occurred during surgical procedures (N=114, 38.5%) or medication administration (N=52, 17.6%). Over half of BBPE occurred during afternoons/nights (N=172, 58.1%). Over half occurred with use of personal protective equipment (PPE) (N=181, 61.1%). The majority of BBPE implicated finger injuries (N=220, 74.3%). Blood was the most frequently reported exposure (N=127, 42.9%), a similar percentage of records did not specifically name a body fluid type (N=121) or whether PPE was used (N=110). In most cases, the source patient was identified (N=282, 95.3%) and tested (N=272, 91.9%). Forty-three sources (14.5%) had positive BBP testing, which included HIV (N=14, 4.7%), hepatitis C (N=23, 7.8%), and hepatitis B (N=6, 2.0%). Most employees presented to employee health for initial evaluation (N=231, 78%) and underwent post-exposure testing (N=266, 89.9%); most had evidence of immunity to hepatitis B (N=246, 83.1%). Eighty-three employees (28%) received HIV PEP (average=1.9 days). Most records did not indicate if this was a first-time BBPE (N=250, 84.5%). No employee records indicated seroconversion for a bloodborne pathogen. Conclusions: Physicians and RNs, those performing surgical procedures and administering medications, and those on second and third shifts are at highest risk and may benefit from additional interventions such as exposure assessment or education. Required recordkeeping has been variable over time. Updated national SOPs have been adapted to employee health, though additional details could be considered for quality improvement purposes, such as duration of employment, level of training, and prior BBPE prevention education. It is unclear if some information such as history of BBPE or PPE use was elicited but not documented – this information could be helpful in management of BBPEs.

The Epidemiology of Needlestick and Sharp Injuries Among Healthcare Workers in a Secondary Care Hospital in Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction Needlestick and sharp injuries (NSI) continue to pose a significant risk for healthcare workers (HCWs) at their workplace. The incidence rate of NSI in hospitals depends on multiple risk factors. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of NSI among HCWs and the risk factors influencing NSI rates and to provide further direction for NSI prevention in secondary care hospitals. Methods This study included all the NSI cases reported by HCWs in King Abdul Aziz Hospital, Makkah from 2005 to 2017. All the cases were recorded in the Exposure Prevention Information Network (EPINet™)database (International Healthcare Worker Safety Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA). The study was executed by using data loaded in the EPINet™Program, the hospital electronic recording system Medica Plus, and analyzed by the StatisticalPackage for the Social Sciences program (SPSS Inc. Released 2007. SPSS for Windows, Version 15.0. Chicago, SPSS Inc.). Results During the period of study, 524 NSI cases were reported. The mean incidence rate per 100 occupied beds with 95% CI was 25.43 (22.05-28.81) and a statistically insignificant decline in NSI incidence rate was observed from 2005 to 2017. The maximal annual incidence rate (35.63 per 100 occupied beds) was registered in 2010 and the minimal value (14.84 per 100 occupied beds) in 2013. Injuries were mainly reported in patient rooms/wards (30.2%) and most frequently by nurses (56.1%). The mean of incident reporting within 24 hours was 74.0, 95% CI (67.19-80.73). This rate showed a statistically significant (p=0.01) increasing trend of 5.0% per annum. The mean of identified source patients - 83.5, 95% CI (79.13- 87.23) - possessed an annual 2.1% rise during 2005-2017 which was statistically insignificant (p=0.7). Cases occurred after the use/before disposal of items in 45.0% of cases and during the use of items in 44.7%. Hollow-bore needles caused injuries in 46.5% of incidents. Blood sample taking - 23.2% and IV or arterial line insertion/removal/manipulation (19.1%) - presented exposure-prone procedures posing the highest risk. Conclusions The results of this study revealed a high rate of NSI in the hospital. NSI rate in hospitals was impacted by a group of related risk factors, particularly, the location of risk (patient room/ward, intensive care unit (ICU), and emergency room (ER) depending on job intensity, the kind and frequency of exposure-prone procedures (blood sample taking, IV or arterial line insertion/removal/manipulation) and handling of hollow-bore and solid needle connected to the main healthcare professional group at risk (nurses). Future direction in NSI prevention requires a complex approach of continuous staff education along with the usage of devices with safety features.

SG-APSIC1163: A five-year review and analysis of sharp injuries in an acute-care hospital in Singapore

Objectives: Sharp injuries are frequent occurrences in healthcare settings. According to the World Health Organization, >2 million occupational exposures to sharp injuries occur among 35 million healthcare workers (HCWs) annually. We report the 5-year incidence and trends of sharp injuries in an acute-care hospital. We compared the rates of injury, the distribution of injuries, and the type of exposure of HCWs during the prepandemic and pandemic eras. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of a 5-year surveillance on self-reported sharp injuries in Changi General Hospital, a 1,000-bed acute-care hospital. The occupational groups, the type of sharps, and the incident activity involved were reviewed. The bloodborne pathogen statuses of the identified source patients were studied. Results: In total, 441 sharp injuries were reported from 2017 to 2021. Among the occupational groups, doctors reported the highest number of sharp injuries (N = 272, 61.7%), followed by nurses (N = 129, 29.3%) and other allied health professionals (N = 29, 6.4%). An increasing proportion of doctors reported sharp injuries from 2017 to 2019 (prepandemic era) and the proportion declined from 2020 to 2021 (pandemic era); 52 doctors (58.4%) reported sharp injuries in 2017, 61 (61.1%) in 2018, 72 (67.9%) in 2019, 47 (61%) in 2020, and 40 (57.1%) in 2021. Most sharp injuries were caused by solid sharps (212 of 441, 48.1%) and hollow-bore needles (205 of 441, 46.5%). Source patients were identified in 407 sharp injuries. From the known sources, 51 were seropositive: 20 for hepatitis B (HBV), 27 for hepatitis C (HCV), and 4 for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). No seroconversion occurred. Overall, 198 sharp injuries (44.9%) were sustained during surgical procedures, 83 (18.8%) occurred during blood taking, and 44 (9.9%) occurred during injection administration. Also, 37.5% of sharp injuries among doctors occurred during surgical procedures, and 69.6% of sharp injuries in OT occurred among junior surgical doctors. Conclusions: The overall incidence of sharp injuries has decreased during the pandemic. Fewer elective surgical procedures were performed during the pandemic period. OT suturing training workshops and awareness programs on strategies for preventing sharps injuries in the operating theatre, targeted at surgical residents during the past 2 years, could have contributed to the decrease in the incidence of sharp injuries in our hospital. Sharp injuries pose a significant exposure to blood and body fluids and should be subject to continued epidemiological surveillance.

Non-Safety and Safety Device Sharp Injuries-Risk of Incidents, SEDs Availability, Attitudes and Perceptions of Nurses According to Cross-Sectional Survey in Poland.

Sharp injuries are a serious issue among healthcare workers (HCWs). The aim of the study was to examine the frequency of sharps injuries among nurses (who have the most frequent contact with infectious material) when using devices with and without safety features, then to analyse the factors associated with such injuries and to compare the risk of injuries with safety engineered devices (SEDs) and non-safety engineered devices (non-SEDs). An online cross-sectional survey was completed between October 2021 and March 2022 by 280 nurses. The incidence of exposure to sharp injury during their professional life was 51.4%. The percentage of nurses experiencing a sharp injury in the year preceding the study was 29% and 9.6% for superficially and deep injury, respectively. Ampoules and conventional hollow-bore needles caused the most injuries (25.92% and 22.64% of nurses in the last year). Factors including sex (males), age and seniority (elderly), education (higher), work exhaustion and being left-handed were associated with the occurrence of conventional hollow-bore needle injuries. In the case of SEDs: age, seniority and right/left-handed were the most frequent risk factors associated with the occurrence of sharp injuries. SEDs injuries were much less frequent than non-SEDs. There was a significant difference between the risk of injuries with safety and non-safety needles, central cannulas and ampoules. Fisher’s exact test (p-value = 0.000) and positive Spearman’s rho statistics (0.2319, p-value = 0.0001) confirmed that in accredited hospitals, the availability of safety needles was higher. Almost half of the nurses (n = 115, 41.07%) stated that staff had little influence on the type of medical sharp instruments supplied. To reduce the risk of nurse injuries, access to medical devices with safe protection mechanisms should be ensured, the use of sharp instruments should be limited where possible, managers should consult nurses regarding the choice of safe devices, and training programs on the proper use of SEDs should be available.

Occurrence and outcome of blood-contaminated percutaneous injuries among anesthesia practitioners: a cross-sectional study.

Anesthesia practitioners are at risk for percutaneous injuries by blood-contaminated needles and sharp objects that may result in the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis viruses. Reporting these injuries is important for the early prevention and management of blood-borne infections. To investigate the occurrence, reporting, characteristics and outcome of contaminated percutaneous injuries (CPIs) in anesthesia residents, fellows and faculty. A cross-sectional anonymous survey electronically distributed to all 214 anesthesia practitioners at a large academic multihospital-based anesthesia practice in Florida, USA. The overall response rate was 51% (110/214) (60% (50/83) for residents, 50% (8/16) for fellows and 45% (52/115) for anesthesia faculty). Fifty-nine percent (65/110) (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 5068) of participants reported having one or more CPIs during their years of anesthesia practice (residents 42% (95% CI: 2955), fellows 50% and faculty 77% (95% CI: 6688)). The number of CPIs per anesthesia practitioner who answered the survey was 0.58 for residents, 0.75 for fellows and 1.5 for faculty. Within the last 5 years, 35% (95% CI: 2644) of participants had one or more CPIs (39% of residents, 50% of fellows and 29% of faculty). CPIs in the last 5 years in faculty older than 45 years of age were 12% (3/25) compared to 44% (12/27) in faculty younger than 45 years of age.Analyzing data from practitioners who had one CPI revealed that 70% (95% CI: 5585) reported the incident at the time of injury (residents 85%, fellows 100% and faculty 58%). Hollow-bore needles constituted 73.5% (95% CI: 5988) of injuries. As per participants' responses, 17% (18/103) of CPIs received postexposure prophylaxis and there were zero seroconversions. Based on our study results, most anesthesia practitioners will sustain a CPI during their years of practice. Despite some improvements compared to historic figures, the occurrence of CPIs continues to be high and reporting of percutaneous injuries remains suboptimal among anesthesia residents. A fifth of injuries in the perioperative setting is from an infected source and requires postexposure prophylaxis. Although no infections were reported due to CPI exposure in this study, findings underscore the need for more education and interventions to reduce occupational blood exposures in anesthesia practitioners and improve reporting.

Needlestick injuries among healthcare personnel in Qatar: A retrospective study.

Background: A needlestick injury (NSI) is a serious occupational hazard among healthcare personnel (HCP), as it can cause transmission of blood-borne pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study aimed to determine the frequency and distribution of reported NSIs, associated factors, use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and percentage of seroconversion among HCP in a major tertiary care hospital in Qatar.Methods: This retrospective study analyzed NSIs among HCP reported in Hamad Medical Corporation facilities in Doha between May 01, 2017, and May 01, 2018. A surveillance follow-up period of 6 months commenced after the 1-year study period.Results: A total of 130 NSIs were reported during the study period, with an overall incidence of eight injuries per 1000 HCP. The mean age was 34.6 ± 7.9 years. Among the reported cases, the proportion of female HCP (n = 72, 55.4%) was greater than that of male HCP (n = 58, 44.6%). Of 130 NSIs, 79 (60.8%) occurred in nurses, followed by 35 (26.9%) cases in doctors and 16 (12.3%) in other HCP. The total healthcare population comprised 49.6% of nurses and 18% of doctors. NSIs occurred in 10.1 per 1000 nurses and in 12.4 per 1000 doctors. Exposures mainly occurred in the operating theater, 35 (31.5%); inpatient wards, 24 (21.6%); and emergency department, 20 (18%). Common modes of injury were after use or before disposal of the device in 44 (44.4%) cases and during surgical interventions in 35 (35.4%) cases. Hollow-bore needles (64/98, 65.3%) were the most common devices involved. Source serology was documented in 71 (54.6%) cases of which 52 (73.2%) were normal, 9 (12.7%) were abnormal, and 10 (14.1%) were incomplete. Among the exposed HCP, 124 (95.4%) had adequate immunity to HBV. PEP for HBV was indicated in 6 (4.6%) and received by 4 (3.1%) HCP. NSI cases were followed up for 6 months post-exposure, and during this surveillance period, no seroconversion to HBV, HCV, or HIV was detected.Conclusion: NSIs are common among HCP. In this study, most of the exposed HCP had adequate immunity to HBV. There was no hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV transmission among the study cohort. Adherence to proper needle/sharps disposal techniques and safe practices during procedures will help prevent NSIs.

The Sting of Sharp Objects: Low Risk for Kids, but Little Community Awareness: Laboratories and hospitals have well-defined approaches for needlestick and scalpel injuries, but fewer protocols and less education in community settings may contribute to improper disposal and heightened fears.

The Sting of Sharp Objects: Low Risk for Kids, but Little Community Awareness: Laboratories and hospitals have well-defined approaches for needlestick and scalpel injuries, but fewer protocols and less education in community settings may contribute to improper disposal and heightened fears.

Characterization of occupational accidents occurred at the Occupational Health Referral Center of the state of Amapá between 2007 and 2016.

Introduction:Occupational accidents involving biological material have consequences that range from physical damage to public expenses. The study of this topic may help evaluate conducts and form preventive measures.Objectives:To characterize the notifications of occupational accidents involving biological material that occurred between 2007 and 2016 in the state of Amapá, Brazil.Methods:This is an observational, retrospective, and descriptive study with a data analysis that quantified occupational accidents with biological material reported between January 2007 and December 2016 and analyzed the most prevalent risk factors.Results:Data were obtained from the Occupational Health Reference Center of the state of Amapá: 938 cases of occupational accidents with biological material were reported in the studied period. The main type of exposure was percutaneous (75.8%), the most common organic material was blood (68.4%), and the main causative agent was the hollow-bore needle (58.6%). Considering the reported cases, 80.8% of 745 individuals were vaccinated against hepatitis B and 2.4% of 252 individuals had positive anti-HIV. Regarding the clinical progression of the injured workers, in 91.9% of the cases these data were unknown or not recorded, and 47.4% of the patients who provided this information were discharged with no serological conversion.Conclusions:The main causes of occupational accidents were related to the use of sharps for intravenous drug administration and the inadequate disposal of this material, highlighting the need for stronger attention when performing these procedures. The high incidence of unknown/blank data hampered the correct serological follow-up of the patients and the epidemiological characterization of the accidents.

Frequency of Occupational Bloodborne Infections and Sharps Injuries among Polish Paramedics from Selected Ambulance Stations.

To evaluate the prevalence of bloodborne infections (BBIs) and assess the incidence and selected risk factors for sharps injuries (SIs), a cross-sectional serosurvey was performed between December 2018 and October 2019 among 286 paramedics (76.5% males; mean age, 37 years) from 17 randomly selected ambulance stations in the West Pomeranian region of Poland. An ELISA system was used to detect anti-HBc, anti-HCV, and anti-HIV. HBV vaccination uptake was 95.6%; 7.3% (95% CI: 4.6–11.0%) paramedics were anti-HBc positive, and anti-HCV/anti-HIV seropositivity was not reported. Almost one-fourth of paramedics reported having had ≥1 SI during the preceding year (Me = 6.0, range 1–100). Most recent exposures primarily took place during an emergency procedure (76.7%), in an ambulance (45.2%), caused by hollow-bore needles (73.8%), and were not reported (50.0%). Additionally, 52.2% of paramedics reported needle recapping, and 52.6% did not use safety engineered devices (SEDs) at work. Mean knowledge score was low (2.6 ± 1.7); 3.4% had never participated in infection-control (IC) training, and those not trained were more likely to suffer a SI (odds ratio (OR) 4.64; p = 0.03). Due to frequent SIs, of which half are unreported, paramedics remain at risk of acquiring occupational BBIs. SI risk could be reduced by providing training on IC procedures, ensuring better compliance with safe work practices, and supplying more SEDs.

Needlestick and sharps injuries in an Indonesian tertiary teaching hospital from 2014 to 2017: a cohort study

ObjectiveNeedlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers (HCWs) pose significant occupational health problems. We aim to provide incidence and other epidemiological aspects of needlestick and sharp injuries (NSSIs) among HCWs...

Risk factors for sharps injuries and the prevalence of blood borne infections among paramedics

Abstract Background Although paramedics constitute a group of medical professionals continually at risk for sharps injuries (SI), possibly resulting in occupationally acquired bloodborne infections (BBI), data on blood exposures in this group are rather scant. Objectives To assess the incidence and selected risk factors for SI and to estimate the prevalence of BBI among paramedics. Methods An anonymous cross-sectional serosurvey, with ELISA system used to detect anti-HBc/anti-HCV/anti-HIV, was conducted among paramedics from 10 randomly selected ambulance stations in West Pomerania, Poland, between December 2018-October 2019. Knowledge about infection-control procedures was assessed with the use of 10 multiple choice questions. Results Response rate: 93%. Among 286 participants (76.5% males, Me age 37 years, Me length of practice 14 years) 19.6% sustained ≥ 1 SI in the preceding year (Me = 6.0, range 1-100); 50.8% of incidents were not reported. Regarding the most recent SI - the most often it took place in an ambulance (45.9%), during an emergency procedure (76.3%) and was caused by a hollow-bore needle (60.7%); in 66.1% of cases the device did not have a safety feature. Risk factors for SI were as follows: 52.6% paramedics did not use safety engineered devices at work, 52.2% reported recapping a needle in the preceding year, 5.5% irregularly used gloves; 3.4% had never participated in infection control training. The mean knowledge score was 2.6. The lack of infection control training was associated with higher odds (OR 4.64) of a SI. HBV vaccination coverage was 95.6%. Anti-HBc were found in 7.3% participants, no anti-HCV/anti-HIV positive paramedics were recognized. Conclusions Frequent SI, about half of those unreported, are important risk factors which could contribute to occupational HBV infections reported among paramedics. The risk of SI could be reduced by supply with safety engineered devices, safe work practices and an adequate training in infection-control procedures. Key messages Most risk factors for sharps injuries among Polish paramedics are modifiable. Continuous exposure to sharps injuries should be taken into account while assessing paramedics’ risk for acquiring an occupational blood-borne infection.

<p>An Eye Simulation for Training in the Use of Ophthalmologic Equipment and Corneal Foreign Body Removal Techniques</p>

PurposeThis simulation curriculum is structured to teach the use of common eye assessment equipment and corneal foreign removal techniques using harvested cow eye models, the ophthalmologic burr, and the hollow-bore needle.MethodsThis curriculum involves using one self-assessment (SA) station and three skills stations. The skill stations teach the use of the iCareTonometer, Woods Lamp, and Slit Lamp, and train corneal foreign body removal using a burr and hollow-bore needle.ResultsSixteen first, second, and third-year (PGY 1–3) residents of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Emergency Medicine participated. 100% indicated this should be an annual training with 87% indicating this was highly realistic. There was a 44% Pre-Sim to 94% Post-Sim SA for improvement with iCareTonometer skill. There was a 7% Pre-Sim to 100% post-Sim SA for improvement with Slit-Lamp skill. There was a 32% Pre-Sim to 100% Post-Sim SA improvement with Woods Lamp skill. For CFB removal, there was a 13% Pre-Sim to 94% Post-Sim SA for improvement with burr and hollow-bore needle skill.ConclusionThe self-assessments indicated that this simulation was successful in leading these emergency medicine residents to attaining enhanced self-assessed competencies in the use of common eye assessment equipment and for corneal foreign body removal using the burr and the hollow-bore needle. To establish curriculum globalization, reliability, and competency, larger test groups will have to be studied and objective qualified testers will need to assess competencies.

UK safety-engineered device use: changes since the 2013 sharps regulations.

The 2013 UK sharps safety regulations require healthcare facilities to use safety-engineered devices (SEDs) to protect staff. The recent increase in UK-reported occupational exposures could indicate increased reporting or increased exposures from suboptimal SED use. To ascertain SED use through examination of sharps container contents in a sample of UK hospitals. Reusable sharps containers (RSCs) were selected from seven UK hospitals in 2013 and seven different hospitals in 2016. At licensed processing facilities, the operator, wearing protective apparel, decanted RSCs, separated hollow-bore needles (HBNs) from other sharps and enumerated HBNs into capped/uncapped non-SEDs, activated/non-activated/tampered SEDs, and blunt draw-up SEDs. Probability, risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence limits (95% CLs) were calculated using WinPepi v2.78. In 2013 and 2016, respectively, 2545 HBNs were categorized from 22 RSCs versus 2959 HBNs from 33 RSCs; 70% of HBNs were SEDs versus 93% (P < 0.001; RR 1.33; CL 1.30-1.37); 32% of activatable HBNs were not activated versus 22% (<0.001; 0.67; 0.60-0.76); 41% of HBNs were discarded 'sharp' versus 20% (<0.001; 0.48; 0.44-0.52); 25% of HBNs were uncapped needles versus 6% (<0.001; 0.22; 0.19-0.26); 5% of HBNs were capped needles versus 1% (P > 0.05); and 1% of SEDs were tampered with in both years (P > 0.05). Hospital practices varied widely. SED use and activation have increased significantly since 2013. Of concern is that in 2016, 22% of SEDs were non-activated and 20% of sharps were discarded 'sharp'. Increased training in SED handling, assiduous adherence to safe sharps work practices and a higher level of individual safety-ownership are indicated.

Study of knowledge, attitude and practice among nurses regarding needle stick and sharp item injuries

Background: Needle stick injuries are an important occupational hazard for nursing personnel as they form an important mechanism for transmission of blood borne pathogens. A needle stick injury (NSI) is defined as an accidental skin-penetrating stab wound from a hollow-bore needle (or any sharp) containing another person’s blood or body fluid. Sharp injury (SI) is defined as a skin-penetrating stab wound caused by sharp instruments &amp; accidents in a medical setting.Methods: The study is hospital based cross-sectional descriptive in PGIMS Rohtak. The study was designed towards achievement of all objectives. The study was carried out from 14 June 2016 to 13 August 2016.Results: Majority (6%) of sample were in the age group of 20-25 years and (31%) in age group of 26-30 years. Majority of sample (98.5%) were female. Majority of sample (90%) were GNM, (6.5%) were B.Sc Nursing, (1.5%) was M.sc Nursing. Majority of sample (91.5%) were married.Conclusions: The study identified the presence of suboptimal practices that put both staff nurses and patients at significant risk of contracting occupational infections.

Retrospective analysis of sharps injuries among medical students and residents

Background: Medical students and residents are at higher risk of sharps injuries (SIs) as a result of various factors, including the lack of experience, skills, technical expertise and risk perception. SIs place these individuals at higher risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus. There is a wealth of research regarding SIs among health-care workers who are professionals/employees, but not as much among medical students and residents. Aim: The aim of this retrospective analysis was to analyse the various factors and relationships between sharps injuries and medical students/residents at a University in the United States. Methods: The sharps injuries exposure logs of medical students and residents at the University, from 2006 January to September 2018, were analysed using SPSS software. Results: Residents had a higher rate of SIs versus medical students. The prevalence percentage of SIs among residents was 10.99%, whereas 2.22% in medical students. SIs increased with the number of training years among medical students and residents, especially among residents in and after their 5th year. July and September had the highest frequency of SIs. Suture and hollow-bore needles were the most common medical device associated with SIs among medical students and residents, whereas, among the residents, scalpel blades and surgical instruments were also frequently encountered. Conclusion: Medical schools and training hospitals could use this information to formulate plans and policies in the training of medical students and residents to reduce the risk of SIs among these groups.

Knowledge and practice of needlestick injury preventive measures among nurses of Sana'a city hospitals in Yemen

BACKGROUND: A needlestick injury is an accidental skin-penetrating stab wound from a hollow-bore needle containing another person's blood or body fluid, leading to infection of diseases transmitted by blood such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus. The purpose of this study is to assess the level of knowledge and practice of needlesticks injury prevention measures and to estimate the incidence of exposure to needlestick injury among nurses working in the governmental hospitals in Sana'a city, Yemen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study among a random sample of nurses (n = 259) were conducted. A pretested structured self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.0. (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). RESULTS: One hundred and fourteen (44%) respondents had poor knowledge of needlestick injury preventive measures, 75 (29%) had a fair knowledge, and 70 (27%) had good knowledge. The knowledge was significantly associated with hospital's name (P CONCLUSION: The practices and knowledge of needlestick injury preventive measures were low and occupational exposure to needlestick injury was a common occurrence in the study sample. This needs intensive programs to educate nurses on various aspects of needlestick injury preventive measures.

A large-scale survey on sharp injuries among hospital-based healthcare workers in China

A multi-center survey on sharp injuries (SIs) among hospital-based healthcare workers (HCWs) in seven provinces of China between August and December 2011 was performed. In each province, HCWs from at least 30 hospitals were surveyed by completing a SI report form adapted from the EPINet. The HCWs who declared SIs during the period were interviewed by local infection control practitioners. The survey included 361 hospitals and 206,711 HCWs, most of whom were nurses (47.5%) or doctors (28.4%). In the previous month, 17,506 SI incidents were declared by 13,110 (6.3%) HCWs, corresponding to 1,032 incidents per 1,000 HCWs per year and 121.3 per 100 occupied beds per year. The majority of the SIs was caused by a hollow-bore needle (63.0%). The source patient was identified in 73.4% of all SIs but only 4.4% of all exposures involved a source patient who tested positive for HBV (3.3%), HCV (0.4%) or HIV (0.1%). Only 4.6% of SIs were reported to the infection control team in the hospitals. In conclusion, the rate of SI among HCWs is high in China and SI represents a severe but largely neglected problem. Awareness and safety climate should be promoted to protect the safety of HCWs in China.

Epidemiology and clinical consequences of occupational exposure to blood and other body fluids in a university hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Objectives:To describe the epidemiological characteristics, clinical impact, and adequacy of post-exposure management of occupational exposure to blood and body fluids (BBFs).Methods:Retrospective chart review of individuals reporting exposure to BBFs from 2007 to 2013 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Results:The total number of exposures reported was 326 exposures, of which 302 (92.6%) exposures were percutaneous, 21 (6.5%), mucocutaneous, and 3 (0.9%), bites. Nursing staff/students had the highest rate of exposure (149, or 45.6%), followed by physicians (57, or 17.5%). Surgeons were found to have a significantly higher risk for sharp injuries compared with other physicians (26.3%, or 15 exposures, p<0.005). Most (216, or 72.5%) percutaneous injuries were caused by hollow-bore needles. Majority of exposures (124, or 42.6%) occurred after using the needle/sharp item and before disposal. Two-thirds (219, or 67%) of exposed individuals were immune to hepatitis B at the time of exposure. With appropriate post-exposure management, none of exposed individuals seroconverted to HIV, hepatitis B or C virus infections.Conclusion:Occupational exposure to BBFs remains a concern among healthcare workers. Educational programs targeting high-risk groups entailing reinforcement of prevention and adherence to post-exposure management guidelines are needed.

Accidental blood exposures among emergency medicine residents and young physicians in France: a national survey.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of blood or fluid exposure (BFE) and occupational infection risk among emergency medicine (EM) residents and young physicians (<35years old) in France. We led a cross-sectional, anonymous, online survey. 1779 participants were contacted with a response rate of 36% (n=633). Among the respondents, 459 (72%) reported at least one BFE. Among participants with at least one BFE, 35% (n=163) never reported the exposure to the relevant medical authorities or support. Among participants who reported exposure, 63% (n=232) did it immediately. Among participants who never or not systematically reported their BFE, most of them (62%, n=181/289) did not do so because the procedure was too long, and 28% (n=82/289) estimated the risk as low even if only one-third (n=166/458) checked their HIV status even though the BFE was at a transmission risk. Circumstances in which the participants had the most BFE were: suturing 57% (n=262/457) and when making precipitated gestures 24% (n=111/457). The latest exposures were caused by a solid needle in 42% (n=191/455) or hollow-bore needle in 27% (n=123/455). Post-exposure reporting rates were low. Reporting procedure itself and self-management were the main reasons for BFE underreporting. Simplifying procedures might increase BFE reporting, and allow appropriate post-exposure counseling and/or prophylaxis.