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

Year 2024, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 31 - 42, 30.09.2024

Gülçin Bölük , Nurhan Köksal , Demet Büyük Akbaş , Serap Bayrakdar , Hayrettin Göçmen

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

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

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