Prikaccidenten in 2008, resultaten van een studie van RCN-leden. (In het Engels)

Needlestick injury in 2008, results from a survey of RCN members.

4,407 nurses responded to a survey on needlestick injury, which represents 9% of the 50,000 who were sent a postcard along with the RCN magazine 'Bulletin'. A further 320 completed an online survey to give more detail of recent injuries and their access to safer needle devices. The surveys (managed by Employment Research Ltd and commissioned by the RCN) looked at the frequency of needlestick injury and explored nurses' perceptions of the risk they face whilst also detailing the measures taken to prevent injury.

Almost all (96%) the nurses taking part used needles as part of their jobs. At some point in their career a half (48%) had been stuck by a needle or sharp that had previously been used on a patient and 10% had sustained an injury in the last year.

Nurses gave details of their last injury through the online survey: in nine out of ten cases the injury drew blood and the nurse knew which patient the needle had been used on. The source patient was blood tested in a half of injuries, and 90% of nurses reported the injury.

A third (34%) regarded the risk of contracting a blood borne disease from the injury as medium or high. However, in more than a quarter of cases (28%) nurses did not receive any advice about the risk of blood borne diseases following the injury. More community/non hospital staff had not received advice following the injury (42%).

Whilst two-thirds regarded the support offered by employers as adequate, those working outside NHS hospitals were less likely to be satisfied with employer support (45% of those outside the NHS were dissatisfied with the support offered).

The post-card survey revealed that although the vast majority of employers (94%) have a sharps policy that covers prevention and reporting, only a half (55%) of nurses have received any training from their employer on safe needle use.

A half of all nurses surveyed fear needlestick injury either 'a great deal' (23%) or a 'fair amount' (29%). Nurses in workplaces without a sharps policy covering prevention and reporting, are more likely to fear needlestick injury.

95% of nurses consider that the availability of safer needle devices is either essential (57%) or preferable (38%), yet only a half report that they currently have access to any of these devices. Nurses that already have access to these devices are more likely to regard them as essential - in 70% of cases compared with 40% of those who do not have them. The findings suggest those who have experience of these devices are more likely to see the benefit of them.

Referentie van de volledige paper:
Royal College of Nursing. Needlestick injury in 2008. Results from a survey of RCN members.Royal College of Nursing and Employment Research. 2008.