ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Needle stick injuries means introduction into the body of health care providers during the routine performance of their duties, of blood or other potentially hazardous material by a hollow bore needle or sharp instruments e.g. needles, lancets and contaminated broken glass. Needle stick injuries (NSI) in healthcare settings are a global issue and commonest occupational hazard among healthcare workers. Accidental needle-stick injuries are a hazard for healthcare workers and general public health. Nursing workers are at high risk for occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens such as HBV, HCV, HIV via sharp injuries of needle stick. Nurses working in poor organizational climate and in institutions with less adequate resources have a higher risk of NSI as compared to those working in hospitals with favorable environment. As nurses are highly exposed to NSI, we designed our study to assess their awareness and preventive strategies.
Objectives:
Our objective is to assess knowledge, attitude and practice of needle stick injuries among nurses. We also wanted to determine the preventive strategies of needle stick injuries.
Methods:
We did a cross sectional study at Khyber teaching hospital and Northwest teaching and general Hospital for a duration of six months. Our sample size was 216, calculated by open epi. Convenient sampling technique was used, 118 nurses from Northwest teaching and general Hospital and 98 nurses from KTH were included in the study. A self-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 21.
Results:
Majority of the nurses (73.61%) have not received needle stick injury. 93.98% of nurses had knowledge that all HBV, HCV and HIV are transmitted by needle stick injuries (mean=3.89, SD=0.465). 86.57% of nurses had excellent attitude regarding needle stick injuries (mean=3.85, SD=0.405). 79.17% of the participants had excellent practice of needle stick injuries (mean=3.13, SD=0.437). Almost all of the nurses (99.54%) were well aware about the preventive strategies that can help in preventing needle stick injuries (mean=2, SD=0.068). There was a significant statistical difference (p value 0.000), in association between gender of the respondents and their practice level (chi square value 25.627). There was a significant statistical difference (p value 0.006), in association between designation of the nurses and their attitude level. Other factors showing statistical significance, p value less than 0.05, included qualification and practice level (chi square value 10.522), designation and attitude level (chi square value 23.210), designation and prevention level (chi square value 20.696) and whether infection control training program has been attended and knowledge level of nurses (chi square value 22.179).
Conclusion:
From our results we conclude that the prevalence of needle stick injuries has decreased and majority of the nurses are having knowledge about NSI, majority have positive attitude and are having better practice of NSI. Nurses were well aware of the strategies that should be followed for prevention of needle stick injuries. Educational training programs and safeguard interventions are helpful in reducing needle stick injuries.
Key words: Needle stick injuries, knowledge, attitude, practice, blood borne pathogens.
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