Publication:

Prevalence of needle stick injuries among health care workers of various hospitals: a cross sectional study in an urban district of North India

Background Needle stick injuries (NSI) are one of the dreaded but preventable occupational hazard posed to health care worker in various clinical settings. The causes of NSI includes injuries caused by use of hypodermic needles, blood collection needles, needles in intravenous delivery systems, needles in diagnostic aspiration procedures and needle in interventional or surgical procedures. In developing countries, needle stick injuries prevalence is also related to lack of standard operating protocol in various institution.

Methods A cross sectional observational study was carried out in 384 paramedical, technical, auxiliary and sanitary staff of three government and three private hospitals of Meerut from November 2015 to October 2016.

Results In our study, Overall prevalence of NSI was 77/384 (20.1%). Among sub-groups, needle stick injury was 26.6% and 31.3% in nurses, 37.5% and 16.7% in technicians, 15% and 12.5% in wardboys/aaya and 15.6% and 9.4% in sweepers of public and private hospitals respectively.

Conclusions Standard operating protocol is the need of the hour at every medical institution and hospitals for NSI. Regular training regarding NSI, promoting early reporting and availability of immediate Post exposure prophylaxis should be ensured.