INTRODUCTION:

A needle stick injury (NSI) occurs when the skin is pierced by a hypodermic needle or other sharp object contaminated with blood, tissue, or body fluids, posing a risk of transmitting blood-borne pathogens between patients and healthcare providers. According to the World Health Organization (2000), NSIs caused an estimated 66,000 hepatitis B, 16,000 hepatitis C, and 1,000 HIV infections globally.¹ Healthcare workers, including nursing students, are particularly vulnerable due to inadequate knowledge, improper use of protective equipment, stress, and lack of supervision.

NEED FOR THE STUDY:

The need for this study is crucial to understand the extent of the problem and the growing concerns over the inadequate awareness and preventive practices related to NSIs among nursing students. By assessing the occurrence and knowledge about needle stick injury among nursing students, we can improve patient safety, enhance nursing education to improve nursing students' knowledge and skills in preventing and managing needle stick injuries, and reduce the risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens.

PROBLEM STATEMENT:

Assess the occurrence and knowledge of needle stick injuries among undergraduate nursing students.

OBJECTIVES:

· To assess the occurrence of needle stick injury in undergraduate nursing students.

· To assess the knowledge regarding needle stick injuries among undergraduate nursing students.

· Determine the correlation between occurrence and knowledge of needle stick injuries among undergraduate nursing students.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS:

Needle Stick Injury:

In this study, a needle stick injury refers to an accidental puncture wound caused by a needle or other sharp instrument contaminated with blood or body fluids, occurring among nursing students during clinical practice.

Occurrence:

In this study occurrence refers to the frequency of needle stick injuries among nursing students within a specific time frame (e.g., past six months or one year), as reported through a survey or questionnaire.

Knowledge:

The level of awareness and understanding nursing students have regarding NSIs, including causes, risks, prevention, and post-exposure management, as assessed through a structured questionnaire

Hypotheses:

The hypotheses is tested at 0.05 level of significance.

H₀: There is no significant relationship between occurrence and knowledge regarding needle stick injuries among nursing students.

H₁: There is a significant relationship between occurrence and knowledge regarding needle stick injuries among nursing students.

Assumptions:

1. Nursing students have varying levels of knowledge about needle stick injuries.

2. Needle stick injuries occur among nursing students during clinical practice.

3. Self-reported data on NSIs and knowledge are accurate and reliable.

4. Training and education influence NSI knowledge and prevention practices.

5. Preventive measures can reduce the occurrence of NSIs.

Limitations:

· The study was limited to selected colleges in Thellakom.

· The time period was short.

· Assessment of knowledge was limited to a current response to a multiple-choice questionnaire.

· The individual temperament of each sample may affect the study.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE:

A cross-section observation study was conducted to determine the knowledge, prevalence of needle stick injury. Data was conducted by use of 22 questions .279 student nurses studying at one private and four govt universities distributed throughout Jordan including in the study. Almost a third of the students had at least one incidence of exposure to NSI. The result showed that there was no significant difference in the knowledge between males and females or between students across different universities.²

An interventional study was conducted on occupational safety training and education for needle stick injuries among nursing students in China. An interventional study was under taken and 246 nursing students were selected by randomly. A structured questionnaire was to collect the data. The result was the rate of needle stick injuries among these nursing students was relatively high before the OSTEP in China. However, it decreased rapidly to 0.16 events/nurse average after the OSTEP. Occupational safety awareness and behaviour in handling needle stick injuries was improved in China.³

A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the age and years in practice as factors allied with needle stick and sharp injuries among health care workers in a Portuguese hospital by Martins A,etal . A - Sectional study was under taken and 363 health care professionals were selected by convenient sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The result was 65% of health care workers reported needle stick and sharps injuries in the previous 5 years of the injured workers, 74.8% were nurses. In Portugal, there is a lack of epidemiological evidence related to needle stick and sharp injuries.⁴

METHODOLOGY:

Research Design:

A descriptive cross-sectional research design was selected to achieve the objectives of the study⁵

Setting of the Study:

Study conducted in Caritas College of nursing and Velankanni Matha College of Nursing.

Population:

Population in the present study are the undergraduate nursing students.

Sample Size:

329 Undergraduate Nursing Students of Caritas College of Nursing and Velankanni Matha College of Nursing.

Sampling Technique:

The sampling technique selected for the present study was convenience random sampling technique⁶

Criteria for Sample Selection:

Inclusion criteria:

Students of 2nd year, 3rd year and 4th year BSc Nursing students. Students who give an informed consent to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

Nursing students who have not completed at least one clinical rotation. Students who didn't give an informed consent to participate in the study.

TOOL:

In this study the data collection instruments used are,

Tool 1: Demographic variables and occurrence

Tool 2: Knowledge questionnaire

Tool 1: Demographic variables and Occurrence:

Demographic variables and occurrence are collected by using a self-developed structure questionnaire (Appendix G). This consists of variables such as age, year of study, occurrence, knowledge and awareness on needle stick injury, previous exposure.

Tool 2: Knowledge Questionnaire:

The main area of the study has consisted of the following headings. Definition of the needle sticks injury, causes, prevalence, management and treatment, proper disposal/segregation. A well organized and convenient questionnaire (Appendix G) has developed from the point of interest, to assess the knowledge regarding needle Stick injury and its prevention, management and follow up care after needle stick injury.

Score interpretations:

Among 329 students, 247 (75.1%) have excellent knowledge level, 68 (20.7%) has good knowledge level, 12 (3.6%) has average knowledge level and 2 (0.6%) have poor knowledge about needle stick injury. The study findings was contradictory with another research study, a significant difference in knowledge was found between students in different year of study (F (2076, 2) = 6.77, p= 0.001).

RESULTS:

Knowledge of nursing students regarding needle stick injury was assessed. A majority of them 247 (75.1%) students have excellent knowledge, 68 (20.7%) students have good knowledge, 12 (3.6%) have average knowledge, 2(.6%) have poor knowledge.

CONCLUSION:

On the basis of findings of present study, the following conclusions were drawn. Knowledge of nursing students regarding needle stick injury was assessed. A majority of them 247 (75.1%) students have excellent knowledge, 68 (20.7%) students have good knowledge, 12 (3.6%) have average knowledge, 2(.6%) have poor knowledge. There is no significant correlation between occurrence and level of knowledge.

NURSING IMPLICATIONS:

The study findings have implications in the field of nursing education, nursing administration, nursing practice and nursing research.

Nursing Education:

Nurses play a pivotal role in providing proper education about needle stick injury. Nursing education brings changes in the occurrence of needle stick injury by taking necessary precaution.

Nursing Administration:

Nursing administration is to organize the direct human and material resource to achieve a desired nursing outcome. Nurses as competent administrators can play an important role in providing awareness in the prevention of needle stick injury. They can also conduct educational programs and supervised health teaching of student nurses.

Nursing Practice:

As a vital part of the health team nurses can give greater contributions in improving awareness on the prevention of needle stick injuries. Nurse’s plan self-administered questionnaire which can be used to improve knowledge regarding needle stick injuries. Among student nurses the nursing approach through structured teaching programs was helpful to improve needle stick injury prevention.

Nursing Research:

Extensive research program should be conducted periodically in the nursing college to make improvement in its prevention. The study helps nurse’s researchers to educate nursing students to participate in adopting safety precautions to prevent further needle stick injuries.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

· A similar study can be conducted with a large sample so that the findings can be generalized.

· The study can not only be done among students but also with the working nurses and other caregivers.

REFERENCES:

1. Parantainen A, Verbeek JH, Lavoie MC, Pahwa M. Blunt versus sharp suture needles for preventing percutaneous exposure incidents in surgical staff. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Nov 9; 11:CD009170. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009170.pub2. PMID: 22071864; PMCID: PMC7387125.

2. Suliman M, Al Qadire M, AlAzzam M, Al-Sabbeah H, Al-Abiad FA, Al-Sayed Ahmed S. Students nurses' knowledge and prevalence of needle stick injury in Jordan. Nurse Educ Today. 2018 Jun; 60: 23-27. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2017.09.015. Epub 2017 Oct 1. PMID: 28987894.

3. Yao WX, Wu YL, Yang B, Zhang LY, Yao C, Huang CH, Qian YR. Occupational safety training and education for needlestick injuries among nursing students in China: intervention study. Nurse Educ Today. 2013 Aug; 33(8): 834-7. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2012.02.012.

4. Martins A, Coelho AC, Vieira M, Matos M, Pinto ML. Age and years in practice as factors associated with needlestick and sharps injuries among health care workers in a Portuguese hospital. Accid Anal Prev. 2012 Jul; 47: 11-5. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2012.01.011.

5. Polit DF, Beck CT. Nursing research: generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2012.

6. Sharma SK. Nursing research and statistics. 1st Ed. New Delhi: Elsevier; 2011.

7. Burns N, Grove SK. The practice of nursing research: appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence. 7th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier Saunders; 2013.

Received on 18.11.2025 Revised on 20.12.2025

Accepted on 15.01.2026 Published on 14.02.2026

Available online from February 18, 2026

Research J. Science and Tech. 2026; 18(1):33-37.

DOI: 10.52711/2349-2988.2026.00005

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