Exposure accidents among students of the Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques of Oujda: Prevalence and associated factors

Accidents involving exposure to blood in the clinical environment are a risk frequently encountered by nursing and allied health techniques students. Prevention of this major occupational hazard is consistent with a global approach to safety and sustainability. Moreover, the frequency of this type of incident is unknown. An analytical study to identify the prevalence of blood exposure accidents (BEA), the associated factors, and its circumstances, as well as the perceptions and experiences of the Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques of Oujda (HINPHTO) students has been launched. 608 students enrolled in semesters 3 and 5 of 15 options at the HINPHTO participated in this study. Data were collected using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. Results: The study showed that 24.2% of the students were victims of at least one BEAs during their training. 95% of students exposed themselves to blood. The incidence of BEA was significantly associated with the students' gender, profile and level of study. Our results showed that BEAs among nursing and healthcare technology students is a serious problem that needs to be considered. This highlights the need for awareness-raising initiatives and simple, explicit reporting procedures.