A cross-sectional study on the prevalence and management of needle stick injuries among medical interns in a tertiary care hospital in Chennai, India

Background: Due to the clinical environment in which they work, many medical interns are at increased risk of accidental needle stick injuries (NSIs). Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the prevalence of NSIs and the response of medical interns following such injuries. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Chennai among all medical interns, using a pretested, self-administered questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of NSIs among interns in the past year was 34.8%. NSIs occurred most frequently during needle recapping (30.0%) among those who experienced an injury. Only 13.3% of the affected interns reported the incident to higher authorities. Conclusion and recommendation: The occurrence of NSIs was found to be relatively common, with avoidable practices such as needle recapping contributed significantly to these injuries. Prevention of NSIs is a key component of workplace safety programs, and ongoing training of health care workers in safe practices is indispensable in hospital settings.