Needle stick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in Fasa city, Southwestern Iran, 2017

Among the most common occupational hazards threatening healthcare workers are needle stick injuries, injuries caused by sharp and cutting instruments, and contact with infectious pathogens transmitted by blood. This study aims to determine the prevalence and associated factors of needle stick injuries, injuries caused by sharp and cutting instruments,as well as blood and body fluids affecting healthcare workers.

This research adopted a descriptive cross-sectional approach in which all healthcare workers at the two training hospitals affiliated with Fasa University of Medical Sciences were selected in 2017. After receiving ethical approval (IR.FUMS.REC.1396.243), the data collected by the researcher using a questionnaire and proportional sampling. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed prior to use. Data analysis was performed by SPSS Statistics V22.0, using mean, frequency, and a Chi-Square test.

According to the results of this study, 51.0% of the staff had experienced at least an injury caused by cutting tools, and 26.7% of them considered carelessness as the main cause of the injury. Nurses had the highest prevalence (24.4%) of the experience among other staff.

The results imply that injuries caused by needles and sharp objects need more attention.  In addition, improper reactions at the time of the injuries necessitate educating healthcare workers and increasing their knowledge about the dangers posed by these injuries