Cutting-Sharp Instrument Injuries in Healthcare Workers and 4-Year Experience in Contact with Blood-Body Fluids - The Pandemic's Implications

Abstract

Background: The aim of study was to determine the causes and rates of sharp injuries in healthcare workers, to evaluate the attitudes of workers towards sharps injuries, and to look at the effect of the pandemic process on sharps injuries. Methods: Between 2019 and 2022, 320 healthcare workers in XXX were included the study. An 11-question questionnaire and a 20-question Attitude Towards Safe Use of Sharps Injuries Scale were used to assess demographic data and reasons for exposure to injury. Results: 320 people participated in the study; 62.7% had a bachelor's degree and 19.9% were injured in 2020. It was found that 62.0% of by the syringe needle. When the demographic data were compared, it was found that intern students were significantly more injured, while those working in the Operating Room-Maternity Room and working between 6-10 years were less injured (p<0.005). Conclusion: Injuries and contact with body fluids were less in 2020 in the most active period of the pandemic when the use of personal protective equipment was high. The use of personal protective equipment, the implementation of the regulation on the control of medical waste, and the use of disposable and ergonomically appropriate sharps will reduce the risk of accidents.

Keywords

• Contact with Blood-Body Civilians
• Sharps Injury
• Pandemic

CUTTING-SHARP INSTRUMENT INJURIES IN HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND 4-YEAR EXPERİENCE IN CONTACT WITH BLOOD-BODY FLUIDS - THE PANDEMIC'S IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

Objective: The aim of study was to determine the causes and rates of sharp injuries in hospital staff, to evaluate the attitudes of workers towards sharps injuries, and to look at the effect of the pandemic process on sharps injuries. Materials and Methods: In data collection, an 11-question survey and a 20-question Attitude Scale towards the Safe Use of Sharps Injuries were used to evaluate demographic data and reasons for exposure to injury. In evaluating the data obtained in the study, numbers, percentage distribution, averages, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis test, Spearman correlation analysis were used, and Chi-square test was used for group comparisons. Results: 320 people participated in the study, and 53 (29.3%) people were found to be injured more in 2022. It was found that 62.0% of those injured were injured by the syringe needle, and 23.8% were injured while trying to attach the chamber tip to the cap. When the injuries and demographic data were compared, it was revealed that student nurses were injured significantly more, while those working in the Operating Room-Delivery Room and those working between 6 and 10 were injured less (p<0.005). The average score of the participants from the scale was found to be 87.9±6.3 (75-130). Conclusion: In the student nurse group, which is the group where injuries are more common, the clinical competencies of the students should be increased by establishing a simulation laboratory before starting their internship. In addition, training on sharps injuries in hospitals should be carried out on a unit basis with root-cause analysis.

Keywords

• Contact with Blood-Body Civilians
• Sharps Injury
• Pandemic

References

1. REFERENCES
2. 1. Kepenek E, Şahin-Eker HB. An Assessment of Sharp Injuries to Workers in a State Hospital. Klimik Journal. 2017;30(2):78-82. DOI: 10.5152/kd.2017.19.
3. 2. Karadam SY, Çoban B, Yılmaz M. Evaluation of Sharp Injuries and Skin-Mucocoal Contacts of Healthcare Professionals in a Private Hospital. J Occup Health and Saf. 2023; 7(1): 47-54. DOI:10.33720/kisgd.1222872.
4. 3. Mengistu DA, Tolera ST. Prevalence of occupational exposure to needle-stick injury and associated factors among healthcare workers of developing countries: Systematic review. J Occup Health. 2020; 62(1): 2179-2020. DOI:10.1002/1348-9585.12179
5. 4. Özberk DI, Kutlu R. Evaluation of Healthcare Workers to Safe Use of Sharp-Penetrating Medical Devices and Prevention from Infectious Diseases Attitudes. J Prim Care Spec. 2021; 15(2): 261-268. DOI:10.21763/tjfmpc.840085
6. 5. Prüss-Üstün A, Rapiti E, Hutin, Yvan. Sharps injuries: global burden of disease from sharps injuries to health-care workers, 2003 [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO). [available 3 June 2021]. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/42743
7. 6. Bozdemir M, Bahar Z. The Effect Of Some Features Of Nurses On Sharp Injurıes. J Health. 2023; 9(2): 80-101. DOI: 10.17932/IAU. ASD. 2015.007/asd¬ v09i2005
8. 7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Recommendations for prevention of HIV transmission in health-care settings. MMWR Suppl. 1987;36(2):1S-18S. [available 3 June 2021]. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00023587.htm

9. 8. Stojic J, Grabovac V, Lucijanic M. Needlestick and sharp injuries among healthcare workers prior to and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. 2021; 115(7–8), 1966–1968. https://doi.org/10.1080/20477724.20 21.1960762
10. 9. Diktas H, Oncul A, Tahtasakal C.A, Sevgi D.Y, Kaya O, Cimenci N, Uzun N, Dokmetas I. What were the changes during the COVID- 19 pandemic era concerning occupational risks among health care workers? Journal of Infection and Public Health. 2021; 14(10), 1334–1339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2021.0 6.006
11. 10. Uzunbayır N. Health Care Workers Attitude Scale Towards to Safe Use of Sharp Medical Instruments. Master’s thesis. Ege University Instıtude of Health Sciences, İzmir 2020.
12. 11. Published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . Sharps safety for healthcare settings | CDC. (2021). Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/sharpssafety/index.html
13. 12. Dizili-Yelgin C, Çıkman A, Karakeçili F, Gülhan B, Aydın M. Evaluation of Sharps Injuries in a Training and Research Hospital. Klimik Journal. 2018; 31(3): 200-205. DOI: 10.5152/kd.2018.49.
14. 13. Bouya S, Balouchi A, Rafiemanesh H, et al. Global prevalence and device related causes of needle stick injuries among health care workers: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Annals Global Health. 2020;86(1):1‐8. 10.5334/aogh.2698
15. 14. Ceylan MR, Çelik M. Sharp and Cutting Tool Injuries in Healthcare Workers: A Second Stage Hospital Experience. Abant Med J. 2022;11(1): 37-44.
16. 15. Tonghui W, Ying L, Xiaolu W, Ming H. (2023). A large-scale survey on epidemiology and underreporting of needlestick and sharp injuries among healthcare workers in China. Frontiers in Public Health. 2023; 11. DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1292906.
17. 16. Kurt AÖ, Üçeş Harmanoğulları L, Ekinci Ö, Gülden Ersöz G. Biological risk knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of cleaning staff of a university hospital. Health Sci J Mersin University. 2015;8(2):37-47.
18. 17. Weldesamuel E, Gebreyesus H, Beyene B, Teweldemedhin M, Welegebriel Z, Tetemke Desalegn. Assessment of needle stick and sharp injuries among health care workers in central zone of Tigray, northern Ethiopia. BMC Research Notes. 2019. 10.1186/s13104-019-4683-4.
19. 18. Cui Z, Zhu J, Zhang X, Wang B, Li X. (2018). Sharp injuries: a cross-sectional study among health care workers in a provincial teaching hospital in China. Environ Health Prev Med. 2018;23(1):1-7. DOI:10.1186/s12199-017-0691
20. 19. Sun J, Qin W, Jia L, et al. Investigation and analysis of sharp injuries among health care workers from 36 hospitals in Shandong Province, China. BioMed Res Int. 2021; (4):1-7. DOI: 10.1155/2021/5698483.
21. 20. Xu X, Yin Y, Wang H, Wang F. Prevalence of needle-stick injury among nursing students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public Health. 2022; 10(1): 0–7
22. 21. Huang SL, Lu Q, Fan S. et all. Sharp instrument injuries among hospital healthcare workers in mainland China: a cross-sectional study. BMJ open. 2017;7(9). DOI:10.1136/ bmjopen- 2017- 017761.
23. 22. Satılmıș Ö, Șahin MN. Sharps injuries in a tertiary-care eye hospital between 2006 and 2018. Klimik Journal. 2019; 32(2):8-12. DOI: 10.5152/kd.2019.03.
24. 23. Çalıkoğlu E.O, Bedir B, Akçay H.B, Gümüş A. Needlestick And Sharps İnjuries Among Nurses At Atatürk University Research Hospital And Their Practices After İnjury. The European Research Journal. 2019; 5(1), 128– 133. Https://Doi.Org/10.18621/Eurj.404827
25. 24. Dağcı M, Sayın Y. Needlestick and Sharps Injuries Among Operating Room Nurses, Reasons and Precautions. Bezmialem Science. 2021; 9(3), 317–325. https://doi.org/10.14235/bas.galenos. 2020.4049.
26. 25. Soylu D, Soylu A, Tanrıverdi Ö, Tanrıverdi S, Aksu E. Öğrenci hemşirelerin kesici-delici tıbbi aletleri güvenli kullanımına yönelik tutumlarının belirlenmesi. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi. 2021; 12(2), 370-375.
27. 26. Yıldızlı F. Determination of Nurses' Attitudes Towards the Safe Use of Sharps Equipment. Master's Thesis. Health Sciences Institute. Adana, 2020.
28. 27. Akça ÖS, Aydın Z. Awareness Regarding Safe Use Of Sharp-Edged Medical Instruments Among Nurses In Training And Research Hospital. J Contemp Med. 2016; 6(4): 319-326. DOI: 10.16899/gopctd.282900.