1 in 3 nurses suffer needle injuries

MORE than one third of nurses in Ireland have experienced a needlestick injury, putting themselves at risk of potentially fatal infections such as hepatitis and HIV.

A study published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) also found 70% of nurses know a colleague who suffered such an injury.

INMO director of professional development, Annette Kennedy, said nurses who experienced a needlestick injury were afraid to go public because of the stigma. She was speaking at the INMO/European Biosafety Network conference held to highlight the risk of sharps’ injuries among healthcare workers.