Prevalence and Prevention of Needle Stick Injuries Among Nurses in Tertiary Care Hospitals of Peshawar, Pakistan
Authors
Keywords:
- Needle stick injuries (NSIs),
- Healthcare workers,
- Knowledge,
- Attitude and Practice (KAP),
- Preventive strategies,
- Nurses in tertiary care hospitals
Abstract
Context: Needle Stick Injuries (NSIs) are a major occupational hazard for healthcare workers, particularly nurses, who are at risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus.
Objective: To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding NSIs among nurses in tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar and to identify preventive strategies and associations with demographic variables.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Khyber Teaching Hospital and Northwest General and Teaching Hospital, Peshawar. A total of 216 nurses were recruited through convenient sampling (118 from Northwest Hospital and 98 from Khyber Teaching Hospital). Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 21. The main outcome measures were levels of knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding NSIs and their associations with demographic characteristics.
Results: Most nurses (73.6%) reported not experiencing an NSI. Awareness of transmission risks was high (93.9%), with 86.6% demonstrating positive attitudes and 79.2% reporting excellent preventive practices. Almost all participants (99.5%) were knowledgeable about preventive strategies. Significant associations were found between gender and practice level (p = 0.000), designation and attitude level (p = 0.006), qualification and practice level (χ² = 10.522) and infection control training and knowledge level (χ² = 22.179).
Conclusion: NSIs were relatively uncommon among the study group, with high levels of knowledge and preventive awareness. Institutional training and support are essential to sustain and strengthen safe practices among nurses.
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References
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