Study of needle stick injuries among health care workers at teaching hospitals in Urmia

Personel who reguraly practice invasive procedures such as blood sample collection
are particulary at risk to percutanous injuries. Needle stick injuries present the single gerates risk to medcial
personnels. This sudy was undertaken to analyze the problem of needdle sticks injuries among health care workers
at teaching hospitals in Urmia in 2008 year.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 personals of Urmia teaching hospitals. A structured
questionnaire was used to interview the study participants at their work place. Participants were asked to recall
needle stick injuries in the preceding 12 months. Factors such as work experience, type of procedure, action taken
following injury etc were also studied. The samples were selected by using simple random sampling in every
hospital. The data were analyzed according to aims, by using Descriptive and analytical method.
Results: Around 25% (107/400) of the Health care workers had experienced a needle stick injury in the last sixmonths.
Needle sticks injuries in females and male was 28% and 24% respectively. Most of the injuries created
by needle (47.3%) and anjiocat needle (19.9%).
Conclusions: The results of this study show that the prevalence rates of needle stick injuries are a major risk in
hospitals personnel. Therefore there is a need at the hospital level to have a uniform needle stick injuries policy
covering safe work practices, safe disposal of sharps, procedures in event of needle stick injury, training including
pre-employment training monitoring and evaluation of needle stick injuries and procedures for reporting needle
stick injuries