Evaluation of needle stick injury management and prevention in Sulaimani city hospitals

Background and objective: Needle stick injuries (NSIs) pose a significant occupational hazard for healthcare workers, leading to risks of bloodborne infections. Despite established prevention and control guidelines, the incidence of needle stick injuries remains high, particularly in developing countries. The study aims to assess needle stick prevention and control management in the governmental and non-governmental hospitals inside Sulaimani city-Iraq. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted across 18 hospitals (11 governmental and 7 non-governmental) in Sulaimani City from January to March 2023. Using a pre-designed questionnaire, data was collected through structured interviews with infection control units or hospital administrators. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Result: The data collected showed that most hospitals have infection control units 14 (77.8%) while 4 (22.2%) did not. The majority of hospitals 17 (94.4%) have a needle stick injury prevention program, including 11 (64.7%) governmental and 6 (35.3%) non-governmental hospitals and also most of these hospitals12 (80%) monitor it is application. Regarding training, 11 (68.8%) of governmental and 5 (31.3%) of non-governmental hospitals offer training, making up a total of 16 (88.9%). Finally, for recording incidences, 8 (88.9%) of governmental and 1 (11.1%) of non-governmental hospitals recorded it, with an overall recording rate of 9 (50%). Conversely, 3 (33.3%) of governmental and 6 (66.7%) of non-governmental hospitals do not record these incidences. Conclusion: The study concluded that while most Sulaimani city hospitals have needle stick prevention programs, governmental hospitals generally implement and monitor them more effectively than non-governmental ones. Key gaps include inconsistent reporting, follow-up practices, and training.