Nursing students: A vulnerable health-care worker for needlesticks injuries in teaching hospitals

BACKGROUND: Occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogen is a significant risk to health-care workers. In any teaching hospital apart from regular health-care workers and employees, there are significant population of students and trainee. It is important to assess the health-care worker in hospital which has maximum chances of exposure to these pathogens. The aim of this study is to determine the most susceptible job group for needlestick injury (NSI) reported in a newly established teaching medical institute in the Western part of Rajasthan, India. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of data of NSI occurred during September 2014 to January 2017. RESULTS: Sixty three NSIs were reported during the study. Nursing students were the most vulnerable group who reported maximum number of NSI. Among the nursing students, 72% were completely vaccinated against hepatitis B virus. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing students are at utmost risk for NSIs, the prevention of which requires regular training and education.