Needlestick/Sharps Injuries in Nursing Students in Korea: A Descriptive Survey.
- Author:
Kyung Mi KIM
;
Suk Jung HAN
;
Sun Nam PARK
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Nursing student;
Needlestick;
Sharps injury;
Education
- MeSH:
Dietary Sucrose;
HIV;
Humans;
Incidence;
Korea;
Needles;
Needlestick Injuries;
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis;
Sexually Transmitted Diseases;
Students, Nursing;
Surveys and Questionnaires
- From:Korean Journal of Nosocomial Infection Control
2010;15(1):41-47
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency and characteristics of needlestick/sharps injuries (NSIs) in nursing students in Korea. METHODS: The study was based on a survey of questionnaires completed by 341 nursing students who had sustained at least one NSI during clinical practice in hospitals. RESULTS: The NSI incidence rate was 36.4%. Approximately half of the students reported two to four NSIs. Most (90.2%) of the NSIs occurred on the fingertips and were caused by a hollow-bore needle (46.8%) or lancet (45.8%). Some students were exposed to used needles contaminated with unknown pathogens (37.3%), HBs Ag (2.3%), Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) (0.8%), or HIV (0.6%). Students cited the reason for injury as carelessness, inexperience, hastiness, or recapping. Almost two-thirds of students who reported having experienced an NSI knew about post-exposure treatment. However, only one-third of the students with NSIs completed an official report. CONCLUSION: Korean nursing students lack knowledge about injury prevention, report procedures, and treatment after NSI. A revised educational approach with emphasis on occupational risk, skill development, and injury reporting is necessary to prevent NSI and to ensure that students obtain post-exposure prophylaxis.
