Sharp-Edged Accidents in Health Personnel

Research Article | DOI: https://doi.org/10.31579/2767-7370/036

Sharp-Edged Accidents in Health Personnel

  • Adriana Guadalupe Alcaraz Britez *

Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Posgrado de Medicina interna, Asunción, Paraguay.

*Corresponding Author: Adriana Guadalupe Alcaraz Britez, Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Posgrado de Medicina interna, Asunción, Paraguay.

Citation: Anil Kumar Bhiwal, Naveen Chandra Patidar, Sheetal Chahar, Purva Mandot (2023), Sharp-Edged Accidents in Health Personnel, J New Medical Innovations and Research, 4(1); DOI:10.31579/2767-7370/036

Copyright: © 2023, Adriana Guadalupe Alcaraz Britez. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Received: 03 January 2023 | Accepted: 20 January 2023 | Published: 31 January 2023

Keywords: health personnel; accidents with sharp objects; biosafety training

Abstract

Introduction: A biological accidents is an exposure of health personnel to potentially infectious fluids. When these accidents occur, they should always be considered a high priority for the protection of health personnel. The most affected population is the nursing staff, cleaning staff and doctors. 

Objectives: Describe the frequency of accidents with sharp objects in health personnel, the percentage of reports to relevant authorities, assess the percentage of vaccination for Hepatitis B and participation in biosafety training. 

Materials and methods: An observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study is carried out through an online survey by Google Forms™ to health professionals. Results: Were obtained 26 responses, which 92.3% belonged to medical personnel, 7.7% were graduates or nursing technicians. The 57.7% of the people were male. The 88.5% reported having immunization against Hepatitis B. 6 out of 10 accidents were reported. 

Discussion: Most of the results equal the bibliography, like the number of accidents reported, percentage of vaccination against Hepatitis B, and the motives they weren't reported. Conclusion: Promoting biosafety training is the first step to guarantee the protection of health personnel, because by preventing these events, exposure and risk of disease transmission is reduced.

Introduction

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention defines biological accidents as an exposure of health personnel to potentially infectious fluids1, like blood, tissues or body fluids (semen and vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural or peritoneal fluid)2, have contact with a percutaneous lesion, puncture or cut, or by contact with mucous membranes or

non-intact skin1. When these accidents occur, they should always be considered a high priority for the protection of health personnel2.

The most common types of exposure are hollow-grooved needle injuries, splashes, and blunt needle injuries2. They typically occur during the recapping of needles using two hands and the unsafe collection and disposal of hazardous waste1. The most affected population is the nursing staff, cleaning staff and doctors2.

The paraguayan Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare3 classifies accidents according to risk as:

a)           Slight risk: superficial accident, without visible blood on the instrument or with a solid (suture) needle.

b)          Serious risk: accident with a grooved needle, deep with evident blood or with a device that was placed in a blood vessel.

According to a report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the most frequent causes of accidents are4:

●           Lack of personal protective equipment, safety devices, and sharps disposal containers.

●           Lack of procedures for reporting sharps injuries.

●           Lack of awareness with occupational risks.

●           Insufficiently trained staff.

●           Restricted access to sharps disposal containers.

●           Staff shortage.

●           Recapping of needles after use.

●           Passage of sharp instruments from hand to hand in the operating room.

●           Not use sharps disposal containers immediately after use.

●           Unforeseen medical incidents.

●           Unexpected reactions from patients.

Objectives

Describe the frequency of accidents with sharp objects in health personnel, the percentage of reports to relevant authorities, assess the percentage of vaccination for Hepatitis B and participation in biosafety training.

Materials and methods

An observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study is carried out through an online survey by Google Forms™ to health professionals, where the following variables were determined: work area, age, sex, immunization against Hepatitis B, participation in training biosafety, knowledge of protocol in case of exposure, number of exposures, whether they were high risk or low risk (in the last year).

Results

Were obtained 26 responses, which 92.3

References

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