Studying the Frequency of Needle Stick Injuries Suffered While Providing Medical Services in a Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran

Needle stick injury is one of the causes of hospital infections. It is worthy of attention taking into account the high risk of transfer of infectious diseases via blood and other secretions. The present study is an attempt to survey the frequency of needle stick injuries suffered during medical activities in a Kermanshah-based hospital in 2014. This cross sectional study was carried out in 2014 in a medical-educational center in Kermanshah. The findings showed that out of 1064 personnel, 105 (41 men and 64 women) had reported needle stick injuries (9.8%). In addition, 84 cases were injuried on the hands, 19 cases on the eyes, 1 case on the legs, and 1 case in the mouth. Sixty-four cases were at the morning-shift, 23 at the afternoon-shift, and 18 were at the overnight shift. The main causes of needle stick injuries were needle point (58 cases) and angiocatheter (23 cases). Moreover, 17 cases suffered the injury while disposing of the syringe, 12 cases while recapping the syringe, 12 cases when they were not prepared to handle the needle, six cases while administering injections, six cases while handling the wastes, and five cases while using angiocatherters. Hospital managers are recommended to provide safety equipment in the work environment and also offer preventive education about needle stick injuries and how to handle a case, require mandatory vaccination, hold seminars and workshops, and distribute informing posters and pamphlets to the nurses.