Abstract:

The aim of the study was to profile the epidemiology and different determinants of needle stick injury among health care workers at St. Pauls Mission Hospital which could be used to develop/foster needle stick infection control measures. A cross sectional quantitative survey-based design was used in this study. A sample of 143 nurses instead was enlisted in this study from an expected sample size. In the last ten years, the incidence of NSIs was 139 episodes with an annual mean occurrence of 11 episodes per year. Within the sample of those who had NSIs, there are more health workers who are proactive and take up preventive actions than those who do not. Infection control measures appear not to be emphasised. There are more than half of respondents who indicated ‘‘No’’ than those who indicated '‘Yes’’ for the infection control prevention strategies. The least adhered to infection control strategy is the non-insistence of wearing of eye goggles when conducting minor or major surgery. The determinants of NSIs were; not wearing gloves before touching anything wet – broken skin, mucous membranes, blood, body fluids, secretion, or excretion or before touching soiled instruments and other items, not using barriers- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as protective goggles, face mask and aprons if splashes or spills of blood or body fluids secretions or excretions are anticipated, lack of training at the workplace, long working hours and lack of supplies: disposable syringes, safer needle devices, and sharps-disposal containers. In conclusion, NSIs were observed in all categories of HCWs. There is a scope for improvement in safety protocols. Preventive strategies have to be devised and reporting of NSI need to be made mandatory. Issues requiring attention include use of safety engineered devices (SED), recording and reporting of incidents, training of all HCWs in handling and disposal of sharps, establishing a staff student health service and inculcating a responsible attitude among HCWs. The solutions are easy ones as they do need substantial resources.

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