Prevalence of needle stick injuries among healthcare workers at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, south-east Nigeria

Background: A needle-stick is a sharp-pointed instrument used for puncturing tissues or passing a ligature around or through a vessel, but possibly also it could be a sharp instruments or objects for other purposes. Healthcare workers (HCW) can easily contact infections with blood-borne pathogens such infections are hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), when health workers are exposed to occupational blood diseases through the use of sharp instruments and needle sticks. Objective: This research investigated the prevalence, causes and prevention of needle stick injury among healthcare workers at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri. Materials and Methods: The sample size was fifty respondents while the major instrument for data collection was a well constructed, validated and reliable tested questionnaire, including observations made. Data obtained was analysed using frequency distribution, and chi-square. Results: Results of the a study indicated majority of the injuries occur during injection procedure (34%), recapping (14%), and improper disposal of used syringes and needle (6%), stress had (6%), overfilled disposal boxes also recorded (2%) and lack of experience among workers had (0%). Sex of respondents recorded 86% for female and 14% for male. Conclusion: A standard and understandable programmes to avert NSI should be encouraged.. Examples of such measures are as follows: recapping should be avoided, the use of disposal containers should be encouraged, surgical gloves and other safety devices can also be used to reduce a high cause of developing chronic blood-diseases like hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. Keywords: Needle- stick injury, hepatitis, healthcare workers, occupational hazard, disposal container