Revista Global de Enfermagem e Estudos Forenses

Abstrato

Needle Stick and Sharp Injuries among Nurses

Asiye Durmaz Akyol and Canan Kargin

The aims of this study are to determine the causes of sharp and needle stick injury in nurses working in a hospital, the use of safety practice exposure, to blood and blood containing material and contributing factors. A selfreport questionnaire was completed by 201 nurses working at three Turkish hospitals. The percentage of nurse’s “44.3% of the nurse’s experience a sharp or needle sticks injury during their professional life”. The most frequently encountered source of injury was injection needles (35.8%) followed by branules (5.5%), and suture needles (3.0%). Injuries occurred most frequently when the nurses were withdrawing a needle from rubber or other resistant material; recapping a used needle and disassembling a device or equipment. The majority of the nurses (74.6%) wear gloves and protective glasses. The study indicates that emphasis on work practice, disposal systems, education strategies and infection control precautions should be employed to reduce NSIs and contributing factors.