PREVALENCE AND REPORTING OF PERCUTANEOUS INJURIES AMONG NURSES IN SELECTED COUNTY HOSPITALS IN KENYA

Abstract

Abstract

Objective: To establish the prevalence  and  reporting of  percutaneous  injuries among the Registered Nurses in Selected County Hospitals in Kenya

Design: This was a cross-sectional hospital-based quantitative

Setting: Two County Referral Hospitals purposively selected for this study were Baringo County Referral Hospital and Nandi County Referral Hospital both of which are situated in the Rift Valley Region of Kenya.

Subjects/Respondents: The respondents were all the Registered Nurses in the selected County Referral Hospitals.

Results: A majority(57.2%, n=145) of the respondents had experienced at least one percutaneous injuries with those afflicted recording an average of 2.2 (SD=1.3) injuries per person in the last five years.  Using Logistic Regression, it was established that Odds ratio of getting afflicted with Percutaneous Injuries comparing by gender is 0.47, 95%CI= (0.22-0.99). Simple linear regression established that the number of percutaneous injuries are predicted by age(R²=0.48, p<0.01) and experience in years(R²=0.59, p<0.01).

Slightly less than a third (27.7%, n=83) of  those afflicted by percutaneous injuries report to the hospital authorities for further management. All the respondents indicated that they have encountered at least one body fluids/ secretions splash on them but only around a third  (35.9%, n=145) indicated having reported to the hospital authorities for further management. 

Conclusion: The study concluded that percutaneous injuries and blood/body fluids splashes is still a major cause of concern and an occupational hazard to  the nurses that needs to be addressed in totality. Most of those exposed to these occupational hazards are relactant to report to the authorities for further management.

Keywords: Percutaneous Injuries,  Needle stick Injuries, Reporting, Blood/body Fluid Exposure