Tania Vitello, Luigi Zagra, Miriam Belluzzo, Nicole Bonaccorso, Francesco Balsamo Alessandro Carubia, Luciano D’Azzo, Angelo Fertitta, Rosario Piro, Alessia Pieri, Giuseppe Calamusa, Giorgio Graziano, Carmelo Massimo Maida, Fabio Tramuto, Walter Mazzucco, Claudio Costantino
In hospital environments, health care workers (HCWs) are frequently and inevitably exposed to biological hazards. This type of risk typically arises from accidental needlestick and sharps injuries, or muco-cutaneous contact with biological fluids (BBF) or materials. A systematic literature review conducted in the leading scientific literature databases, PubMed/MedLine, was conducted. Following identification, screening and inclusion processes, 16 articles were selected. The articles analyzed set out to investigate the impact of accidental needlestick and sharps injuries on the selected population by describing the characteristics of the clinical practices adopted. In general, HCWs who did not have adequate infection prevention training were 3.36 times more likely to be exposed to BBF than those who had adequate training. This study found that the risk of exposure was significantly associated with factors such as students’ gender, age, frequency of night shift, frequency of injections, lack of safety training, knowledge of safety management policies, and lack of Protective Personal Equipment use. To reduce injuries, prevention efforts must focus on safety devices, the work environment, and increased training on prevention and procedures. Training needs to begin with undergraduate nursing students in order to practice what they learn in face-to-face courses and clinical training.
