The frequency of injury with sharp objects in OMU Healthcare Services Vocational School of Higher Education students
Abstract
Purpose:
One of the risks health workers are most frequently exposed to is infectious
diseases. Such infections are most frequently infected by needle pricks of
syringes used on patients, injuries with blood contaminated sharp objects or
mucosal exposure to infected blood or other bodily fluids. The purpose of this
study is to determine the frequency and reasons of sharp object injury in
students studying in the field of medicine and to find out what is done in the
aftermath of the injury.
Method: The aim of this descriptive study consists of students studying their
last year at Ondokuz Mayıs University(OMU) Healthcare Services Vocational
School of Higher Education. A total of 458 students to 321(70%) students who
agreed to participate in the study, have were given a face-to-face questionnaire
and the data obtained were expressed as mean±standard deviation and number(%).
Results: The average age of the students was 20,7±2,8 years and 71,3% of the
students were female. While 55(16,8%) of the students stated that they had been
injured with a sharp object within the last year. In terms of the reasons of
injury, the most frequent injury occurred while closing the lid of the injector
(43,6%;24students), during IV intervention (40%;22), while putting the waste in
medical waste box (16,4%;10) and while dressing a wound (12,7%;7). Forty-nine
percent(27) of the students who reported injury were in the department of
emergency and first aid, 29,1%(16) of the students were in the department of
elderly care.
Conclusion: It was found that the rate of injuries was high in students
studying at departments such as “emergency and first aid”, in which
interventional processes are intense, the most frequent injury occurred while
closing the lid of injector, individual protective measures against risks were
not taken enough and occupational accidents were reported with a low rate,
although it is a legalobligation.
Keywords:
Healthcare
worker, sharp object injuries, occupational accidents, risk of infection
References
- Özlem Terzi1, Elif Nur Köksal2 1Public Health Department, Medical Faculty, Ondokuz Mayis University; Samsun, Turkey 2Public Health Administration, Giresun
Abstract
References
- Özlem Terzi1, Elif Nur Köksal2 1Public Health Department, Medical Faculty, Ondokuz Mayis University; Samsun, Turkey 2Public Health Administration, Giresun
Details
| Journal Section | Articles |
|---|---|
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | November 1, 2017 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2017 Volume 2, Issue 1(4) |