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Patient Safety in Surgery
Published in: Patient Safety in Surgery 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research

Comparison of awareness about precautions for needle stick injuries: a survey among health care workers at a tertiary care center in Pakistan

Authors: Abdul Rafay Qazi, Furqan Ali Siddiqui, Salman Faridi, Urooj Nadeem, Nida Iqbal Umer, Zainab Saeed Mohsini, Muhammad Muzzammil Edhi, Mehmood Khan

Published in: Patient Safety in Surgery | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

Needle stick injuries (NSIs) have the potential of causing Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, which is constantly adding to the burden of chronic liver disease in our country. It poses a risk to Health Care Workers (HCWs) and the patients they deal with. In order to limit the spread of these viruses, it is imperative that these HCWs be fully equipped with knowledge regarding prevention of NSIs and dealing with one, regardless of their designation. We therefore aimed to assess and compare the level of awareness about precautions for needle stick injuries amongst all those greatest at risk.

Methods

This was a cross- sectional study carried out at Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. A 23 itemed self-administered questionnaire was given to hospital staff including doctors, lab technicians and nurses via convenience sampling, in various departments. Data was analyzed via SPSS 18 software and a p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.

Results

A total of 198 responses were taken for this study, out of which 70 (35.4 %) were doctors, 70 (35.4 %) nursing staff and 58 (29.3 %) laboratory technicians. Of all HCWs, 101 (51 %) knew that the standard method of discarding needles is without recapping. 159 (80.3 %) were still recapping needles. 180 (90.9 %) HCWs were vaccinated against Hepatitis B. 36 (18.2 %) were aware that blood should be allowed to flow after an NSI and site of prick should be washed with an antiseptic.

Conclusion

The awareness was found to be very low amongst all HCWs. It should therefore be made compulsory for all HCWs to attend proper preparatory classes by the infection control department at the time of employment in order to improve the level of awareness and ensure safe practices.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Comparison of awareness about precautions for needle stick injuries: a survey among health care workers at a tertiary care center in Pakistan
Authors
Abdul Rafay Qazi
Furqan Ali Siddiqui
Salman Faridi
Urooj Nadeem
Nida Iqbal Umer
Zainab Saeed Mohsini
Muhammad Muzzammil Edhi
Mehmood Khan
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Patient Safety in Surgery / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1754-9493
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13037-016-0108-7

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