Epidemiology of sharp injuries among medical and nursing students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

Sharp injuries are very common among health care workers. They make injured worker concern and they need fallow up with diagnostic tests and preventive medications. The aim of this study was to investigate prevalence of sharp injuries, locations and their main causes among medical and nursing students.
This was a cross-sectional study. Data was collected by a questionnaire containing demographic characteristics, frequency of sharp injuries, the ward that sharp injuries was occurred, locations of injury and reasons for them. Estimated content validity index and Reliability of questionnaire were 0.831 and 0.786. Data was analyzed by Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test using SPSS 16.
Findings: In 41.3% of students sharp injuries had been occurred at least once. The prevalence’s were 48.4% in medical and 28.3% in nursing students. 66% of medical students and 100% of nursing students had been received preventing information. Most injuries were occurred in the emergency and internal medicine wards. Indiscretions and distraction were the main causes of injuries. The second finger of left and right hand was the most common place of sharp injuries and the injury rate were 31% and 26% respectively.
This study showed a high prevalence of sharp injuries among medical and nursing students. Thus, to reduce the sharp injuries, precise educational programs are suggested. According to the results more injuries were happened in the second finger of both hands, strengthening of the gloves in these areas is recommended.