Sharps injuries among emergency department nurses in one tertiary care hospital in Ghana

• A high incidence of sharps-related injuries and associated exposure to bloodborne pathogens was found among the sample studied.
• Nearly 30% of subjects surveyed reported a sharps-related injury in the past 12 months.
• Over ½ of the subjects who completed the survey were aware of the protocol to report a sharps-related injury.
• Less than 10% of subjects could list all three essential components of the hospital protocol to follow after a sharp injury.

Exposure to bloodborne pathogens is the most serious occupational health risk encountered within the healthcare profession worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that 3 million healthcare workers experience percutaneous injuries each year. The objectives of this study were to: (1) examine the frequency of sharps injuries, and (2) assess the adequacy, understanding, and use of post-exposure protocols within a sample of the nursing staff at a busy tertiary care emergency department in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. A mixed-methods descriptive study design was used including key informant interviews to develop the survey, a structured survey of emergency department nursing staff, and document review. Overall, the emergency department staff was well informed regarding the risks of sharps injury and the immediate steps to take in the event of a sharps injury. However, few staff could list essential post-exposure follow-up steps. Over one-quarter (28.9%) of emergency nurses reported a sharps injury during a one-year period according to hospital records. The high incidence of sharps injuries indicates an urgent and pressing need for policy and educational interventions to address the infectious disease risk to this group of emergency department staff.