Prevalence of Needle Stick Injury Among Undergraduate Nursing Students at Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital

Background: Needlestick injuries (NSIs) are a major job hazard for nursing students who are at risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It's common in low- and middle-income countries due to a lack of resources, training and adherence to infection control procedures. Aim: To determine the frequency and associated factors of needlestick injuries in nursing trainees in Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital in Mingora, Swat. Methodology: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 200 nursing trainees over six months (April-October 2024). Data were collected using a questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented as frequencies and percentages using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) 26. Chi-square tests were used to explore associations between needlestick injuries and selected variables (e.g., age, sex, training level), with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: Needlestick injuries had a prevalence of 75.5%. Key associated factors included male gender (80% of injured), age 21-23 years (49%), and second-year academic status (34%). The most common symptoms were bleeding (57.5%) and pain (33%). The majority experienced one incident (57.5%) and 53.5% experienced their most recent injury in the last month. Most injuries occurred in hospitals (89.5%). A total of 64% received medical care, 47% had blood-borne pathogen testing, and 43.5% had long-term effects. Conclusion: Our research demonstrates a high level of NSIs and a failure to provide post-exposure treatment for nursing students. Better training in infection control and reporting is needed.