Underreporting of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in a Swiss University Hospital
OBJECTIVES: To determine 1) rates of needlestick and sharps injuries (NSSIs) not reported to occupational health services, 2) reasons for underreporting and 3) awareness of reporting procedures in a Swiss university hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We surveyed 6,367 employees having...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SMW supporting association (Trägerverein Swiss Medical Weekly SMW)
2012-01-01
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| Series: | Swiss Medical Weekly |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/1425 |
| _version_ | 1811288517989367808 |
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| author | Cathy Voide Katharine Elizabeth Darling Alain Kenfak-Foguena Véronique Erard Matthias Cavassini Catherine Lazor-Blanchet |
| author_facet | Cathy Voide Katharine Elizabeth Darling Alain Kenfak-Foguena Véronique Erard Matthias Cavassini Catherine Lazor-Blanchet |
| author_sort | Cathy Voide |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
OBJECTIVES: To determine 1) rates of needlestick and sharps injuries (NSSIs) not reported to occupational health services, 2) reasons for underreporting and 3) awareness of reporting procedures in a Swiss university hospital.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We surveyed 6,367 employees having close clinical contact with patients or patient specimens. The questionnaire covered age, sex, occupation, years spent in occupation, history of NSSI during the preceding twelve months, NSSI reporting, barriers to reporting and knowledge of reporting procedures.
RESULTS: 2,778 questionnaires were returned (43.6%) of which 2,691 were suitable for analysis. 260/2,691 employees (9.7%) had sustained at least one NSSI during the preceding twelve months. NSSIs were more frequent among nurses (49.2%) and doctors performing invasive procedures (IPs) (36.9%). NSSI rate by occupation was 8.6% for nurses, 19% for doctors and 1.3% for domestic staff. Of the injured respondents, 73.1% reported all events, 12.3% some and 14.6% none. 42.7% of doctors performing invasive procedures (IPs) underreported NSSIs and represented 58.6% of underreported events. Estimation that transmission risk was low (87.1%) and perceived lack of time (34.3%) were the most common reasons for non-reporting. Regarding reporting procedures, 80.1% of respondents knew to contact occupational health services.
CONCLUSION: Doctors performing IPs have high rates of NSSI and, through self-assessment that infection transmission risk is low or perceived lack of time, high rates of underreporting. If individual risk analyses underestimate the real risk, such underreporting represents a missed opportunity for post-exposure prophylaxis and identification of hazardous procedures. Doctors’ training in NSSI reporting merits re-evaluation.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T03:37:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d49a7206c87f48bcbb66065e4077d860 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-3997 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T03:37:39Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | SMW supporting association (Trägerverein Swiss Medical Weekly SMW) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Swiss Medical Weekly |
| spelling | doaj.art-d49a7206c87f48bcbb66065e4077d8602022-12-22T03:04:17ZengSMW supporting association (Trägerverein Swiss Medical Weekly SMW)Swiss Medical Weekly1424-39972012-01-01142050610.4414/smw.2012.13523Underreporting of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in a Swiss University HospitalCathy VoideKatharine Elizabeth DarlingAlain Kenfak-FoguenaVéronique ErardMatthias CavassiniCatherine Lazor-Blanchet OBJECTIVES: To determine 1) rates of needlestick and sharps injuries (NSSIs) not reported to occupational health services, 2) reasons for underreporting and 3) awareness of reporting procedures in a Swiss university hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We surveyed 6,367 employees having close clinical contact with patients or patient specimens. The questionnaire covered age, sex, occupation, years spent in occupation, history of NSSI during the preceding twelve months, NSSI reporting, barriers to reporting and knowledge of reporting procedures. RESULTS: 2,778 questionnaires were returned (43.6%) of which 2,691 were suitable for analysis. 260/2,691 employees (9.7%) had sustained at least one NSSI during the preceding twelve months. NSSIs were more frequent among nurses (49.2%) and doctors performing invasive procedures (IPs) (36.9%). NSSI rate by occupation was 8.6% for nurses, 19% for doctors and 1.3% for domestic staff. Of the injured respondents, 73.1% reported all events, 12.3% some and 14.6% none. 42.7% of doctors performing invasive procedures (IPs) underreported NSSIs and represented 58.6% of underreported events. Estimation that transmission risk was low (87.1%) and perceived lack of time (34.3%) were the most common reasons for non-reporting. Regarding reporting procedures, 80.1% of respondents knew to contact occupational health services. CONCLUSION: Doctors performing IPs have high rates of NSSI and, through self-assessment that infection transmission risk is low or perceived lack of time, high rates of underreporting. If individual risk analyses underestimate the real risk, such underreporting represents a missed opportunity for post-exposure prophylaxis and identification of hazardous procedures. Doctors’ training in NSSI reporting merits re-evaluation. https://www.smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/1425blood-borne infectionshealthcare workersneedlestick injuriesunderreporting |
| spellingShingle | Cathy Voide Katharine Elizabeth Darling Alain Kenfak-Foguena Véronique Erard Matthias Cavassini Catherine Lazor-Blanchet Underreporting of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in a Swiss University Hospital Swiss Medical Weekly blood-borne infections healthcare workers needlestick injuries underreporting |
| title | Underreporting of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in a Swiss University Hospital |
| title_full | Underreporting of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in a Swiss University Hospital |
| title_fullStr | Underreporting of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in a Swiss University Hospital |
| title_full_unstemmed | Underreporting of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in a Swiss University Hospital |
| title_short | Underreporting of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in a Swiss University Hospital |
| title_sort | underreporting of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in a swiss university hospital |
| topic | blood-borne infections healthcare workers needlestick injuries underreporting |
| url | https://www.smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/1425 |
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