Epidemiological Characteristics and Scale for Needlestick Injury in Some University Hospital Workers

Yong Hun Yun; Yun Kyung Chung; Jae Sim Jeong; Ihn Sook Jeong; Eun Suk Park; Sung Won Yoon; Hye Young Jin; Jin Hee Park; Si Hyun Han; Jeong Hwa Choi; Hye Ran Choi; Min Kyung Han; Soon Im Choi

doi:10.35371/kjoem.2011.23.4.371

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Original Article Epidemiological Characteristics and Scale for Needlestick Injury in Some University Hospital Workers: Yong Hun Yun, Yun Kyung Chung, Jae Sim Jeong, Ihn Sook Jeong, Eun Suk Park, Sung Won Yoon, Hye Young Jin, Jin Hee Park, Si Hyun Han, Jeong Hwa Choi, Hye Ran Choi, Min Kyung Han, Soon Im Choi; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (대한직업환경의학회지) 2011;23(4):371.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2011.23.4.371
Published online: December 31, 2011

¹Occupational Safety & Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA), Korea. yk.chungmd@gmail.com
²Department of Clinical Nursing, University of Ulsan, Korea. jsjeong@amc.seoul.kr
³College of Nursing, Pusan National University, Korea.
⁴Infection Control Office, Severance Hospital, Korea.
⁵Infection Control Office, Samsung Medical Center, Korea.
⁶Infection Control Office, Ajou University Hospital, Korea.
⁷Department of Nursing, Woosuk University, Korea.
⁸Infection Control Office, Dankuk University Hospital, Korea.
⁹Infection Control Office, Kunkuk University Hospital, Korea.
¹⁰Infection Control Office, Asan Medical Center, Korea.
¹¹Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Korea.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Based on multicenter research among tertiary hospitals in Korea, it was our intention to effectively contribute to the prevention of needlestick injuries by understanding the current state of the incidence rate of needlestick injuries and the related epidemiology with respect to medical institution and worker's characteristics.
METHODS
Ten hospitals were selected, with the research performed from July to September 2007. Data on cases of needlestick injuries were collected by hospital infection-controlling centers using a specifically developed website and a partially modified self-writing questionnaire based on the Exposure Prevention Information Network (EPINet).
RESULTS
During the study period, a total of 327 needlestick injury cases were reported, with an incidence of 10.56 cases per 100 patient beds per year. The existence of source of infection could not be confirmed in one third of the needlestick injuries. There were 4.07 incidences per 100 employees per year. The job with the highest incidence was medical doctor interns (18.66 cases), followed by clinical laboratory workers (7.12 cases) and registered nurses (6.66 cases).
CONCLUSIONS
There was no difference in number of incidences according to the number of beds. The highest number of cases occurred in the registered nurse-group, but the incidence rate per healthcare worker was the highest in the medical doctor intern-group. Therefore, it is important to conduct research to identify the risk of the incidence with respect to different risk-groups. As a result of this research, it is suggest that a protective policy is required relating to needlestick injuries, regardless of the number of beds and potential cause of infection.

Keywords: Needlestick injuries;Healthcare worker;Incidence

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