Prevalence Of Needlestick Injuries Research Articles

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Needle Stick Injuries Among Health Care Workers in Baghdad Teaching Hospital and Ghazy Al-Hariri Hospital for Surgical Specialties in 2020

Background: Needle stick injuries are serious occupational hazards in the transmission of a variety of bloodborne diseases, more than twenty pathogens can be transmitted through NSI including hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus (AIDS) among healthcare workers. Objectives: Assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of health care workers towards needle stick injuries. Determine the prevalence of needle stick injuries among healthcare workers and its predisposing factors. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study, a convenient sample of 260 health care workers was selected from Baghdad Teaching hospital and Ghazy Al Hariri hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. Data were collected by an anonymous questionnaire from January to June 2020. The collected data were analyzed by using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS version 23). Results Prevalence of NSIs among HCWs was found to be 53.8%, which was higher in nurses (29.3%) and laboratory technicians (28.5%) followed by surgeon doctors (15.7%), assistant surgeons (13.6%) and dentists (12.9%) .The highest number of needle stick injuries occurred by recapping of needles (41.4%) followed by during drug administration (27.9%), from hand to hand (10.7%) and during blood drawing (7.9%). A proportion of (64.5%) of health care workers whom sustained needle stick injury had reported their Injury. Doctors scored better than others regarding mean scores of knowledge, attitude and practice. There was a highly significant association among knowledge, attitude and practice scores of the HCWs (P<0.001). A considerable percentage of the participants (80.2%) were completely immunized against HBV. Conclusions: The study showed a high prevalence of NSIs among health care workers. The score of knowledge was high, moreover acceptable responses were obtained in most attitude and practice statements, except for recapping of needles statements.

Awareness in Nursing Students Regarding Prevention of Needle Stick Injuries

An unexpected needle stick injury is one of the most common work-related hazards among health care workers, and it contributes to an increased risk of Blood related infection transmission. Students, as a vulnerable team of health providers, are more vulnerable to these deadly infections. In the situation of such blood-borne diseases, healthcare professionals pose a significant risk. Objective: To aware nursing students regarding prevention of needle stick injuries. Methods: This descriptive cross section study was conducted at the Lahore school of Nursing, the University of Lahore, Pakistan. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire. Convenient sampling technique was used to collect data. The collected data were analyzed through descriptive as well as inferential statistics using SPSS software (22). The descriptive analysis was performed by using frequencies and percentages. Results: The study results showed “Did you experience needle stick injury?” 49 (64.5%) respond yes and 37 (35.5%) respond no. “Did you reported the NSI Event?” 24 (31.6%) respond yes and 52 (68.4%) respond no. “NSI may lead to significant anxiety for the affected person?” 33 (43.4%) respond yes and 43 (56.6%) respond no. Do you know about needles safety device? 15 (19.7%) respond yes and 61 (80.3%) respond no. Conclusions: Study showed that lack of awareness is one of the major factors for needle stick injury. Moreover, it was clearly evident that nursing students were careless in handling used and contaminated needles which was the greatest cause of needle stick injury.

Prevalence and Determinants of Needle stick Injury among Nurses

Needle stick injuries pose a serious risk of transmission of fatal diseases to the workers of the Health care. Globally, more of the reported cases of needle stick injuries happen among nurses than other health professionals. Our aim is to explore the prevalence of needle stick injuries and determinants among nurses for better prevention and control. This is a cross- sectional study where we recruited 282 nurses working at King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah city. The validated self-administered questionnaires were distributed by the head nurse to the participating nurses who were in a direct contact with the patients. From questionnaires we investigated demographics, work-related factors, determinants of needle stick injuries and safety measures. Results of our study showed that about 92% of nurses were females and about 80% regularly take care of 10 patients or less. This study reported a lifetime occurrence of needle stick injury among nurses to be 37.6% (95% CI = 31.9% to 43.3%). The syringe needle was the most common item which caused the recent NSIs among the affected nurses (78.3%), followed by intravenous catheter and tapping needle with prevalence of 11.3% and 7.5% respectively. The occurrence of needle stick injury could not be predicted by nurses’ characteristics such as years of experience, educational level, hours of working and number of patients on duty. However, training on NSIs prevention, Hepatitis B virus vaccination status and availability of safety box in their work place were significant predictors. We conclude that despite the high level of training, awareness, and availability of safety precautions, more than a third of nurses in the KFGH were affected by needle stick injury. Training on NSIs prevention and availability of safety box in their work place were the major determinants of the needle stick injury in KFGH.

The impact of emotional intelligence and personality traits on the occurrence of unsafe behaviors and needle stick injuries among the nurses

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of emotional intelligence and some personality traits on safe behavior and needle stick injuries among the nurses. This cross-sectional study was performed on 200 nursing staff of a hospital in Iran. To collect data, individuals were asked to complete several questionnaires, including demographic questionnaire, domain-specific risk-taking questionnaire, Rosenberg self-confidence questionnaire, Buss-Perry aggression questionnaire, Goleman emotional intelligence questionnaire, and safe behavior questionnaire. Also, the number of needlestick injuries in the participants was extracted from their medical records. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software (version 22), and path analysis was performed using AMOS software. The prevalence of needle stick injuries in the subjects was estimated by 45.5 percent. The results showed that increasing risk-taking, increasing aggression, decreasing self-confidence, and decreasing emotional intelligence reduced safe behavior and increased the number of needle injuries (P < 0.001). In the present study, some personal traits affecting the occurrence of needlestick injuries were identified. It is recommended that people without these negative traits are applied in dangerous occupations with a high probability of needle stick injuries.

Needle stick injury among the dental students in the Qassim University, KSA: It’s Prevalence, student’s Knowledge and attitude

Needle stick injuries (NSI) are the commonest route by which blood borne viruses and/or infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C are transmitted from patients to health care workers (HCW) dental students are also at risk of such infections and injuries due to accidental contamination during their practical occupational exposure. There is hardly any information regarding the knowledge and experiences of NSI among dental students in Saudi Arabia&#x0D; Aim: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and prevalence of NSIs among dental students in Qassim university.&#x0D; Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study.&#x0D; Setting: dental clinics of Qassim University. The population included undergraduate students (3rd ,4th,5th year) and intern’s dentists/College of Dentistry /Qassim University.&#x0D; Result: In the present study. A total number of 98 student participated 56.1% were female and 43.9% were male. A total of 27.6% participants had an NSI during their clinical training. Also, 83% of the students considered hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV to be transmitted by NSIs.&#x0D; Conclusion: Although the level of knowledge on the risk of cross-infection from NSI was high, there was decreased awareness on the means of prevention and protocol.&#x0D; Keywords: NSI, Awareness, cross infection, prevalence, hazard.

Health Education Program on Prevention of Needle Stick Injuries among Health Care Workers

Health Education Program on Prevention of Needle Stick Injuries among Health Care Workers

Prevalence of needle stick injuries, its associated factors and awareness among nursing staff at tertiary care hospital of North India

Background: Needle Stick Injuries (NSIs) are defined as accidental skin penetrating injuries caused by needles. It is the single greatest occupational hazard to a medical personnel. In developing countries, needle stick injury is associated with the highest global prevalence of HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. Aim &amp; Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of needle stick injuries, its associated risk factors and assess the awareness regarding needle stick injuries among nursing staff. Material &amp; Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among nursing staff who were working at a tertiary care hospital in Northern India during June 2019 to November 2019. The study commenced after taking prior approval from institutional ethics committee. A census method was used to include the participants. Results: Around 66.7% of the nursing staff was exposed to NSIs during their working hours at the hospital. There was significant association of needle stick injuries with place of working and education of nursing staff in multivariate binary logistic regression. About 26% of the nurses were unaware that recapping should be done or not for used needle, and 35% of staff nurses recapped the needle after the use. Conclusion: Needle stick injuries can be prevented by continued education, effective training, providing better safety devices, a positive work environment.

Needlestick and sharps' injury in healthcare students: Prevalence, knowledge, attitude and practice.

Needlestick and sharps injury is an occupational hazard, and it presents with a constant risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens. Students are particularly at risk due to a lack of experience and handling skills. The present study was designed to assess the prevalence of needle stick injury and evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding its prevention and management among students of a medical campus. A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among healthcare students of the medical campus in Sangli, Maharashtra. Overall, the study included 942 participants belonging to medical, dental, and nursing faculties. Overall, the prevalence rate of needlestick and sharps injury was found to be 25.2%. The prevalence was highest amongst nursing students. The students had adequate knowledge about blood-borne virus (BBV) transmission and prevention of needlestick injury. However, there was a substantial shortfall in post-exposure prophylaxis knowledge amongst the students. A deficit in translation between knowledge to practice was noted, particularly in the case of needlestick injury prevention and management. The present study found that one in four students experience needlestick injury; overall knowledge regarding prevention and management of needlestick injury was lesser than desired, and gaps in knowledge and practice were identified in the present study. This can be rectified by curricular reforms, periodic educational programs and stern reinforcement of guidelines. Instilling reporting centers and devising a standing operating procedure in the event of needlestick injury are the needs of the hour.

Infection prevention and control: Practice, uptake, and administrative control among primary health-care workers in enugu metropolis, Southeast Nigeria

Introduction: Administrative supervision of infection prevention and control (IPC) is the most important aspect of IPC/hazard controls. The practice, uptake, and compliance to IPC is a documented, cost-effective method of interrupting the infection transmission pathways. Poor or nonadherence to this has led to disabilities and loss of lives among health-care workers, especially in the face of emerging and re-emerging infections. The present study evaluated the practice of IPC as well as its uptake and administrative control among the primary health-care workers in Enugu metropolis, Southeast Nigeria. Methodology: This was an analytical cross-sectional study using semi-structured self-administered questionnaires and an observation checklist. Eligible health-care workers (HCWs) were selected using simple random sampling from ten primary health-care (PHC) facilities. Chi-square test was used to examine associations of interest. Binary logistic regression was employed to identify predictors of good IPC practices. Results: Three hundred eligible health-care workers participated in this study. More than a fifth (n = 65, 21.7%) of HCWs exhibited good practice of IPC measures. Correct practice of handwashing was noted among 275 (95.7%) respondents. Majority (n = 224, 74.7%) reported recapping of needles and engaged in unsanitary disposal of health-care wastes (n = 257, 85.7%). The prevalence of needlestick injuries 3 months prior to the study period was 53.3% (n = 160). Majority of those sampled reported a lack of IPC committee (n = 220, 73.3%), conspicuous signage to aid movement (n = 230, 76.7%), and an IPC policy (n = 217, 72.3%) in their respective centers. Identified predictors of good practice of IPC were age <40 years (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.38–0.57), being a community health extension worker or community health officer (AOR 3.76; 95% CI 1.56–9.03), and working for <20 years (AOR 5.10;95% CI 5.00-5.73). Conclusion: Poor practice of IPC and poor compliance to administrative control among PHC workers, in addition to lack of administrative facilities, remains a great challenge. There is an urgent need for capacity building on IPC and administrative support to reverse this trend.

Assessment of needle stick injuries among healthcare workers: A cross-sectional study from Kakiri military and SOS hospitals, Uganda

The Ugandan military medical services work together with the civilian public health system to deliver quality healthcare. This Partnership is the mainstay of health service delivery in Uganda. The burden of needle stick injuries (NSIs) is increasing in Uganda’s larger health industry; however, data on needle stick injury in military and public health facilities is lacking. No published data exist on comparative studies for a mix of facilities both military and civilian health settings. This study represents the first time this issue has been studied in a military or public health hospital in Uganda. A hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2018 to September 2019 in Kakiri Military and SOS Hospitals in Uganda using a structured questionnaire. Respondents were purposively selected based on the objectives of study, occupation status and department (N = 310). The overall prevalence of NSIs among respondents was 27.2% and prevalence rates for the two facilities was nearly identical. The largest percentage of NSIs occurred during drawing venous blood samples (49.4%). Significant predictors of NSI were gender, occupational status, age, poor knowledge on prevention and post exposure of NSI, and less professional experience. Infection control practices were lacking in both selected health facilities. Over a quarter of HCWs in Uganda reported NSIs, which places them at significant health risk. Fostering the practice of universal precautions, best infection control practices and training of healthcare workers on bio-safety measures can reduce the prevalence of NSIs.

A Study of Needle Stick Injuries among Nursing College Students in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu

Introduction: Needle stick injuries (NSIs) are the most potential occupational hazards among nursing personnel with possible transmission of blood borne pathogens. As nursing students are in the learning stage, they might be at higher risk of acquiring the injuries.Objectives: Todetermine the prevalence of needle stick injuries and to assess the awareness, attitude and practices followed with regard to NSIs.Methodology: An online cross-sectional study was conducted from October to December 2020 among 175 students in a nursing college in Chengalpattu district Tamil Nadu, using a pretested semi- structured questionnaire, adopting universal sampling technique. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 23. Categorical variables were summarized as Percentages and chi square test was used for statistical analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of needle stick injury among nursing college students was 16%.Final year studentsweremore exposed to the injuries(35.7%). Majority (96.57%) of the students were aware about universal precaution guidelines, 57% of students were aware about the diseases transmitted by NSI, 97.71% were aware about safety devices and 67.43% of students were aware about the post-exposure prophylaxis in management of NSIs.Among the students, 71.43% had used gloves regularly, 72% were immunized against Hepatitis B, only 25.71% of students attended Integrated Counselling Testing Centre(ICTC) and more than half of the students always practiced recapping needle after giving injections. Conclusion: Majority of the students in this study were aware about NSIs, their attitude towards NSIs was agreeable. The practices reported though assessed through online survey was found to be deficient.Periodic education and training need to be done to avoid injuries in future.

Prevalence, student nurses\u2019 knowledge and practices of needle stick injuries during clinical training: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundThe incidence of needle stick injuries is higher among nurses with a low level of knowledge on the prevention of needle stick injury, and who have not received the relevant training during their undergraduate study. The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of the prevention guidelines and the prevalence of needle stick injury among students in Oman.MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire and involving 167 students from a governmental university was conducted. The questionnaire consists of 30 questions; eight general questions, knowledge related questions, and questions about risk factors, prevention measures, and actions in a case of needle stick injury. Ethical approval was obtained and the link to the survey was shared with students using their university email portal.ResultsOf the participants, 81.2% were females; mean age was 23.3 (SD = 4.5) years. The mean total knowledge score was 6.6 out of 10 (SD = 2.1). In addition, 18.2% (n = 32) of the students experienced needle stick injury. Most of the injuries 71.9% (n = 24) occurred during medication preparation and administration. The main cause of NSI as reported by students was recapping the needles (59%, n = 19).ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that student nurses have a moderate level of knowledge about needle stick injury prevention measures and lack many facets of safe infection control practice. These findings require the collaborative effort of nursing administrators from both academic and clinical areas, to develop effective strategies to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of needle stick injury.

Knowledge attitude and practice regarding prevention of needle stick injuries among nursing students in Henan province, China.

Nursing students are more vulnerable to needle stick injuries (NSIs) among all the nurses due to lack of work experience and poor awareness of occupational protection. A cross-sectional study of 400 nursing students was carried out to assess the participants' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding prevention of NSIs. The results indicated that 67% of nursing students suffered at least one NSI during their internship. The most common causes of injury were the injection process, venous catheter management process, and the process of disposal of all kinds of needle waste. Intentionally breaking the needle after injection, capping needles, and separating the needle from the syringe by hand are the risk factors for NSIs among nursing students. It is necessary to develop and increase occupational safety protection courses and establish regulations for the prevention of NSIs.

Prevention of needle-stick injury among nurses in an acute ward of a hospital: a best practice implementation project.

This evidence implementation project aimed to identify barriers leading to needle-stick injuries (NSIs) and to develop implementation strategies to prevent NSIs in the acute ward of a hospital in central Taiwan. The incidence rate of NSIs was 5.6% in the acute ward of a hospital in Taiwan. NSIs commonly occur during the drawing of blood, intravenous insertion, needle recapping, or performing any procedure involving sharp medical devices. NSIs are critical occupational risks among healthcare workers, possibly leading to transmission of infectious diseases, especially blood-borne viruses, such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. A clinical audit was undertaken using the JBI Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (PACES) and the Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) approach. Five audit criteria that represented best practice recommendations for prevention of NSIs were used. Baseline data were collected from 177 nurses in five acute wards, followed by the implementation of multiple strategies during a 20-week period of the project. Both baseline and postimplementation audits were undertaken to determine changes in practice. According to the pre-audit concerning the use of safety-engineered injection devices and safe use and disposal of needles, there was 14-15% compliance, which indicated poor compliance with current best-practice criteria. Following the project implementation, the nursing staff were educated about the well tolerated use and disposal of sharps and the improved compliance rate ranged from 40 to 96.6%, with safety needle use increasing from 16 to 95.5%, safety needle operation procedure awareness increasing from 14 to 96%, needles not recapped after use increasing from 47 to 85%, and placing used needles in the sharps collection box increasing from 75 to 80%. This article suggests that standardized puncture prevention education and training enhanced nurses' awareness in the acute ward.

Effectiveness of Teaching Programme on Knowledge of GNM - II Year Students regarding Prevention of Needle Stick Injuries at Ancillary Medical Training School, Shireen Bagh, Srinagar

Background: Though mostly needle stick injuries cause just minor trauma and bleeding, yet, even without trauma and bleeding, the danger of contamination and infection remains. Thus, a needle stick injury may represent a hazard for a patient if the injured health professional carries hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus or human immunodeficiency virus. Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of teaching programme on knowledge of GNM-II year students regarding prevention of needle stick injuries at Ancillary Medical Training School, Shireen Bagh, Srinagar. Methods: In this study, a total of 50 GNM - II year students were included fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A self-structured knowledge questionnaire was used as the research tool. Demographic variables such as place of residence, educational status of father, educational status of mother, occupation of father, occupation of mother, and previous exposure to information related to needle stick injuries were obtained. Results: The findings of the present study revealed that there was a statistically significant association between the pre-test knowledge scores of study subjects with and previous exposure to information (p = 0.007) while no significant association was found between the pre-test knowledge scores of study subjects and other demographic variables like residence (p = 0.785), educational status of father (p = 0.435), educational status of mother (p = 0.345), occupation of father (p = 0.851) and occupation of mother (p = 0.881). Conclusion: This study reveals the importance of educational programmes, skill training programmes, conferences, workshops and educational meetings to enhance the nursing students’ knowledge regarding the prevention of needle stick injuries.

A study on the prevalence of needle stick injuries among health-care workers of a tertiary care hospital in Aligarh

Context: Globally, the reporting on the incidents of needle stick injuries (NSI) is far below the actual, and in hospitals which depend on their normal reporting systems, this figure may be up to ten times lower. NSIs can serve as a source of life-threatening infections; therefore, an insight into various factors that lead to it, along with the knowledge regarding prophylactic measures is important. Aim: The study aimed to develop an understanding of the causes and probability of NSI and knowledge of prophylactic measures among health-care workers (HCWs). Settings and Design: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted. Subjects and Methods: A structured questionnaire was developed for the study. Statistical Analysis Used: IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), v22.0 was used. Results: A total of 255 HCW were recruited, which consisted of 129 doctors, 110 nurses, and 16 laboratory assistants. The results of the study found that 36.1% of the HCW suffered from NSI. Of the total reported needlestick injuries, the maximum was among the doctors and in the age group of 22–30 years. Only 35.9% had reported the incident. Injuries were mostly sustained to the fingers occurred during use in the morning shift. Majority of the HCW were aware of HBV transmissibility and were vaccinated against it. Although a substantial number (162) of HCW were aware to take post-exposure prophylaxis against HBV and HIV within 72 h, only 12% took prophylactic treatment against HIV. Conclusions: NSI prevention strategies should be strictly implemented at the workplace and followed during procedures.

Epidemiology of needlestick injury exposures among dental students during clinical training in a major teaching institution of China: A cross-sectional study

Background/purposeDental students are particularly vulnerable for needlestick injuries (NSI). However, the epidemiology of NSI exposures among Chinese dental students was rarely reported. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of NSI among dental students in a major teaching institution of China, and to identify associated factors.Materials and methodsA self-administrated online questionnaire was developed based on previously published studies, and distributed to dental students of Class 2011–2015 recruited from Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology.ResultsTwo hundred and sixty-eight dental students including 38.8% of males and 61.2% of females (response rate of 90.0%) completed the survey. Approximately 36.2% of the respondents had sustained at least one NSI. A total of 112 NSI cases were reported. The majority of NSIs were related to the procedures of local anesthesia administration (15.2%) and tooth cleaning or scaling (15.2%). Syringe needles, dental burs and ultrasonic chips were the most notorious devices. Statistical analysis showed significant distribution in NSI occurrence between July–September and October–December. The main cause was lapse in concentration (67.9%), followed by fatigue (22.3%). Up to 66.1% of the exposures occurred when the student was working alone, while only 10.7% with assisting. Unfortunately, 26.8% of the incidents were under-reported.ConclusionDental students are prone to needlestick injuries. The present study clearly reveals a need for increased awareness of NSI prevention among dental students. The quality of infection control education at dental teaching institutions is crucial and indispensable for reducing NSI exposures.

Knowledge attitude and practice regarding prevention of needle stick injuries among nursing students in Henan province, China

Objective: The purpose of study was to identify the knowledge, attitude and practice of prevention NSIs among nursing students in Henan province, China. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 400 nursing students in 7 nursing education institutes in Henan province during June to July 2019 was performed. Structured questionnaires were used to assess participants' knowledge, attitudes and practices of prevention NSIs. Chi-square tests were used to assess correlations between variables. Multivariate regression analysis was used to test the factors related to prevention NSIs. Results: It has shown that 67% of nursing students suffered at least one NSI during their internship. The most common cause of injury was the injection process, the venous catheter management process, and the disposing all kinds of needle waste process (p&lt;0.05). Female students showed more than three times greater chance of intentionally breaking needle after injection (OR 2.50, 95%CI 1.03-6.08). Capping needles always used by two hand (OR 0.40, 95%CI 0.19-0.85) and separating the needle from the syringe by hand after injection (OR 0.23, 95%CI 0.16-0.57) were negatively related to bachelor students. Conclusion: Nursing students show high prevalence of NSIs and lack of prevention knowledge, attitude, and practice. It’s necessary to develop and increase occupational safety protection courses and establish regulations for the prevention of NSIs. Continuous...

Awareness and prevalence of needle stick injuries among cleaners and health-care providers in Gaza Strip hospitals: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundNeedle stick injuries (NSIs) are preventable hazards that can be avoided with appropriate staff training and safety systems. We assessed the prevalence and awareness of NSIs among health-care workers and cleaners in hospitals in Gaza. MethodsWe did a cross-sectional study in four hospitals from July 14 to Oct 25, 2018. All cleaners and health-care workers were eligible to participate. Data were gathered via a survey tool designed for the study that covered sociodemographic data, NSI prevalence, and response to possible injuries. The primary outcomes were prevalence and staff awareness of NSIs. Findings538 staff participated in the survey, among whom the mean age was 28.9 (SD 7.71) years, 331 (62%) were men, 119 (22%) were doctors, 262 (49%) were nurses, 72 (13%) were medical students, and 85 (16%) were cleaners. 289 participants (54%) had had at least one NSI: 59 doctors (50% of all doctors), 142 nurses (54%), 32 students (44%), and 56 cleaners (66%). NSIs were obtained during various activities, including 168 incidents (40%) during drug administration, 82 (20%) while recapping needles, 78 (19%) during wound suturing, 63 (15%) while cleaning, and 27 (6%) during arterial blood gas sampling. Only 94 (33%) of 289 participants with NSIs reported their injuries. Among the 195 (67%) participants who did not report NSIs, 41 (21%) did not know that they should do so, 65 (33%) did not know how to report, 62 (32%) believed that reporting was useless, and 27 (14%) forgot to report. InterpretationMore than half the participants had had NSIs, but reporting of injuries was low. The Ministry of Health should provide targeted interventions and training to improve risk awareness and understanding of the importance of reporting for health-care employees. The strengths of this study are the large sample size and recruitment from diverse professional backgrounds. The main limitation was the lack of validation of the study instrument. FundingNone.

Prevalence of Needle Stick Injury among Surgeons

Aim: To find out the prevalence of needle stick injury, its reporting system and the reasons behind it.&#x0D; Study design: Descriptive cross-sectional&#x0D; Place and duration of study: Study was conducted at Jinnah post-graduate medical center (JPMC) Karachi during the period of March to September 2019&#x0D; Methodology: A self-designed, self-explanatory questionnaire was used, consisting of two parts, the first part was about demographic information while second part is for information related to needle stick injury like probable cause, frequency, response after injury, post-exposure prophylaxis and about reporting of the incident. Questionnaire was validated by calculating the Cronbach’s alpha which was 0.78. data was analyzed by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.&#x0D; Results: Majority of the study participants were female (67.2%) and about 50% were postgraduate students. Out of total 134 doctors about 64.2% of the doctors had needle stick injury during their career. Finding out the most probable cause of needle stick injury during the survey it was found out that increased work load and prolonged working hours were the main reasons. Majority of the cases occurred in emergency department (41.9%). About 95.5% of the doctors didn’t get any post-exposure prophylaxis. Majority of the participants (96.3%) did not report to any authority because of the lack of knowledge about the reporting policy, it was noted that about 38.8% were confused either the reporting system exist or not. Most of the injuries occur during the procedure of suturing followed by recapping syringes.&#x0D; Conclusion: It has been concluded that majority of the doctors had faced needle stick injury during their career and a very negligible number of them got any post-exposure prophylaxis. Majority of them did not report to any authority. So there is a need of implication of safety measures and reporting policies for early detection and treatment of infections after needle stick injury.