Department of Community Medicine, Karnataka Institute of Medical Science, Hubli, Karnataka
*Corresponding author: Geeta V Bathija, Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Karnataka Institute of Medical Science, Hubli, Email: bathija.geeta@yahoo.in
Online published on 16 May, 2013.
Junior doctors and nursing students as well as health care workers belong to high risk group for blood- borne infections including HBV, HCV and HIV. The risk of occupational exposure is caused by lack of experience and professional skill in invasive procedures performed during clinical education.
to determine the prevalence of needle stick injury among junior doctors and nursing students.
to assess the causes, work place and mode of the needle stick injury.
to check the awareness about NSI among health workers.
A cross sectional study conducted among the junior doctors and nursing students by a pre tested questionnaire.
Out of the 200 study sample, 125(62.5%) got needle stick injury. Junior doctors are four times more affected than nurses. Most of the NSI among junior doctors(32) occurred in the casualty and for nursing students(18) in medicine wards. Maximum NSI occurred during suturing(40%) followed by recapping(29.6%), injections(26.4%), blood withdrawal(24.8%) and cannula insertion(9.6%). 56.3% had no awareness about needle safety devices.
In this study population, junior doctors are at higher risk than the nursing students. Majority of them are not aware of needle safety devices and proper method of recapping the needles, so regular courses, seminar and management trainings should be conducted. Reporting of needle stick injuries should be mandatory to higher official.
NSI(Needle Stick Injury), Junior Doctors, Nursing Students
