Aim:

Healthcare professionals face a risk of sharps injuries. This questionnaire-survey was conducted to determine the current situation and the necessary precautions.

Methods:

The survey including 18 questions was applied to 270 subjects working in our hospital. The first six questions were related to demographic characteristics. In the second part, the participants were questioned whether they have received training on sharps injuries, and the type of procedure at the time of injury, presence of protective equipment and their behavior following a sharps injury. The respondents were asked for their opinions of protective measures to be taken.

Results:

More than half of the participants were young adults and the length of service varied from 1 to 5 years. 76% of participants received training on sharps injuries while 65% had knowledge of all the blood-borne diseases. Three-fourths of the physicians sustained a sharps injury. The most common reason for an injury was blood-letting. The most common post-injury application was washing the site with water and soap. The most frequent approach of ones who did nothing was to report the injury to supervisor. 25% of subjects answered "I did nothing" and selected the option "Considered unimportant". Low rate of protective equipment use was documented. The staff expected training from the administration most commonly.

Conclusion:

This questionnaire-survey has suggested that most of the staff have received training on percutaneous injuries, however, they still had some concerns regarding actions to be taken in the event of an exposure. Consequently, outcomes of this survey will shed light on improving sufficient awareness of necessary arrangements for the prevention of sharps injuries.

Keywords: Stab wounds, protection, measures