Background
The hospital has the potential to be a dangerous place for health care practitioners. Among healthcare workers, nurses, interns, technicians, residents, and housekeeping staff face the greatest risks of exposure to various injuries (Shriyan, Roche, Annamma, 2012). Back injuries, allergies, radiation exposure, violence, and stress are but some of the potential injuries that healthcare workers face.
Chief amongst the potential injuries that nurses face are needlestick injuries. Needle stick injuries commonly occur during subcutaneous injections, during the drawing of blood samples, during intravenous cannulation, and as a result of repeatedly replacing a cap onto an already used needle (Goniewicz, 2012). Needlestick injuries represent a greater danger than simply an acute wound that must be healed. Needlestick injuries also present a vector for the transmission of various viral and bacterial diseases including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and Human immunodeficiency virus, malaria, syphilis, tuberculosis, brucellosis, herpes virus, and diphtheria (Goniewicz, 2012). The exposure to patient blood and body fluids may prove very dangerous. Furthermore, aside from an acquired infection, these injuries may take a significant mental health toll on the healthcare worker. Acute anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder and other psychological disorders have also been found to occur with increasing incidence in subjects with these injuries (Naghavi, Shabestari, Alcolado, 2013).
It is estimated that more than fifty percent of nurses will experience at least one needlestick in injury over the course of their career (Rohde, et al, 2013). Furthermore, new and trainee nurses are particularly at risk of such types of injuries and are 1-2.6 times more likely to be injured (Yang, et al, 2013). Approximately thirty two percent of hospital workers report some sort of exposure to patient bodily fluids. Fifty two percent of surgical staff, twenty seven percent of student, and twenty percent of medical house staff report some sort of occupational exposure (Resnic & Noerdlinger, 1995). Interestingly, with increased training, surgical staff were more likely to have suffered an injury whereas medical staff occurrence of injuries decreased with higher levels of training (Resnic & Noerdlinger, 1995). Trainee nurses seem particularly susceptible to needlestick injuries due to insufficient training, limited practical experience, and frequent use of needles for injections (Yao, et al, 2012).
Statement of the Problem
Needlestick injuries are common occurrences in the hospital environment and present a considerable risk for the nursing staff at a hospital. Aside from the immediate physical harm caused by an open wound a needlestick injury represents a vector for a wide variety of diseases and the potential to cause psychological problems for the victim. This study examines the causes and effects of needlestick injuries by asking the following questions:
- Why do needlestick injuries occur and in which groups are they most likely?
- What are the ramifications of a needlestick injury?
- What is process undertaken once a needlestick injury occurs?
- What are the systems in place to prevent such incidents from occurring in the first place?
Purpose of the study
The purpose of the study is to examine the occupational risks that exist for nursing staff in the care settings. Specifically, the study focuses on needlestick injuries, the consequences of a needle stick injury, the process hospital staff goes through once such an injury occurs, and finally the systems in place to prevent such injuries from occurring.
Definition of Terms
Nurse. A nurse is an autonomous, licensed individual with responsibility for patient care. A nurse has various responsibilities in looking after an ill patient. Amongst these responsibilities is the provision of medications through injections and the drawing of various types of blood tests.
Trainee Nurse. A trainee nurse is any person in the process of education or licensure who has not yet received a complete unrestricted license to practice their trade without supervision.
Occupational Hazard. An occupational hazard is a condition during employment which may result in illness or injury.
Needlestick injury. A needlestick injury is a type of injury caused by any unintended poking, stabbing, or other introduction of a needle or sharp object into the body of a person when it is not intended.
Limitations of the Study
This study is limited by the following factors.
- It is only a review of the English speaking literature regarding the problem. As nursing is a universal profession, it is highly probable that these injuries occur throughout the world and there are reports of the entire process in unread foreign literature.
- It will focus on the nursing profession only. Many other people are also prone to such injuries, including physicians, support staff, cleaning staff, and even family caregivers who are expected to draw blood or inject medications in the patient (Berguer & Heller, 2005; Guerlain, Wang, Hugine, 2010).
Works Cited:
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Goniewicz, M., et al. (2012). Injuries caused by sharp instruments among healthcare
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