OBJECTIVETo estimate the occupational sharp injury incidence and the diversity of the injury and the preventive control methods between the different levels of hospitals and the different areas of hospitals among nurses in China.

METHODSAn electronic search of relevant online databases was undertaken. Twenty six retrospective investigation reports were identified from 209 reports based on the filter standards after a systematic review of them. The data were pooled for analysis.

RESULTS19 171 clinical nurses recalled the sharp injuries in the past year which came from 229 hospitals in 23 cities in China. 81.37% had sustained at least one sharp injury. The polled average number of episodes of occupational sharp injuries and needle stick and contaminated needle stick were 8.68, 4.17 and 2.68 episode per person per year before 2004 and fell to 3.42, 2.54 and 1.58 episode per person per year after 2005, respectively. The needle stick injuries and broken glass injuries accounted for 54.31% and 38.31%, respectively. The needle stick injuries mainly occurred in collecting or sorting of used sharps instrument (24.90%), withdrawing needle or separating it from container (22.62%), during use of the item such as inserting needle or draw a blood sample or puncturing or inject drug (21.01%), recapping used needles (15.62%). 9.42% of the episodes were reported, 19.22% of the nurses wore gloves while doing procedures on patients, 40.66% of the nurses accepted work safety training and 66.67% of them were immunized with Hepatitis B vaccine.

CONCLUSIONThe sharp injuries are correlated with work load, the making and implementation of the rules, the levels and districts of the hospitals. The prevention control methods on sharp injury should be strengthened and the key point is to issue and publicize the guideline of prevention and control for occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogen.