A Study of Safe Injection Practices and Needle Stick Injuries among the Nursing Personnel in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kolkata

Needle stick injury is a major occupational health and safety issue among the health care workers. The Objectives of the present study were to evaluate the knowledge and attitude regarding safe injection practices and to explore the occurrence of needle stick injuries among the nursing personnel in a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata. It was a cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted in Medical College, Kolkata. Total 63stuff nurses were studied during the 3 month study period (Feb 2014-April 2014).The mean age of the nursing personnel was 36.78± 7.58 years (range 25 to58 years). Out of the study population 92.05% were vaccinated against Hepatitis B and 56(88.88%) had received training of “safe injection practice” in last 2 years. Among them 90.47% (57) had knowledge regarding “safe injection practice” and 82.54% (52) had knowledge regarding necessary to wear gloves during injection procedure. The entire staff nurses (100%) had knowledge regarding correct use of syringe and 87.30% nursing personnel had knowledge regarding correct disposal of needle. “Disposable syringe better than sterile glass syringe” was strongly agreed by 71.43% of staff nurse. Use of gloves not possible agreed by 69.84%. Hub cutter is necessary in the ward agreed by 35(55.55%). Washing or disinfecting of hands thoroughly before and after giving injection is absolutely necessary agreed by 52.38%.Among them 36 (57.14%) had needle stick injury and all of them were single episode. Most of the events (44.44%) of Needle stick injury occurred during dissembling needle /sharp device and mostly during evening (47.22%).