Fullerton Marie, Gibbons Veronique
Waikato District Health Board, Private Bag 3200, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.
N Z Med J. 2011 May 27;124(1335):33-9.
The aim of this study was to quantify the extent of needlestick underreporting, to examine factors which may contribute to underreporting, and to optimise the relevant risk management strategy.
An 11-item structured postal questionnaire was adapted from an existing CDC design.
The survey results showed that 9% of respondents had experienced at least one needlestick injury in the past year, and three practitioners had five or more injuries in the same period. The overall underreporting rate for needlestick injuries was 33%, which is consistent with internationally-reported figures. More than one in six respondent doctors (17.8%) had sustained one or more needlestick injuries in the past year, compared with nurses (7.6%) or midwives (6.7%).
The survey identified the level of underreporting and the factors that influence needlestick reporting. This has resulted in a series of recommendations that will help our DHB to formulate an appropriate strategy to manage needlestick incidence and impact.
