Abstract

• : Blood born infectious diseases (HBV, HCV and HIV) are common occupational hazards which threaten medical workers. Sharps and needle stick injuries are common problems for nurses at work places but sometimes these injuries remain unreported.
• The main objective of this research is to identify the factors related to report the needle stick and sharps injuries among nursing staffs.
• In this cross-sectional-descriptive and analytical study, 500 nursing staffs of the educational and therapeutic centers in Rasht were selected by stratified random sampling method. Data were collected by completing the questionnaire. In order to analyze the data we utilized Chi-square, Fisher exact test, Mann Whitney, multiple logistic regression statistical tests. We analyzed relationship between independent, dependent and background variables, and related factors on reporting were determined.
• Findings indicated that from 386 nurses (77.2%) who experienced the injuries, only 209 (54.1%) of them reported the accident. Reporting rate was increased 4.37 times when recommended by others, awareness of the existence of reporting system (1.59 times) and work load (1.54 times). Existence of a specific person for reporting decreased the chances of reporting by 2.3 times.
• Not-reporting the sharps injuries are an important event for health care workers. Increasing awareness among nurses about risk of exposure and transmission of blood born viral diseases and improvement of infection control services for post exposure follow up can reduce non reporting rate.

Keywords: Sharps injuries, Needle stick, Nurse