Assessment Of Safe Injection Practices in A Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study from Chhattisgarh

Abstract

Background: Unsafe injection practices are associated with transmis- sion of blood -borne pathogens. The present study was undertaken to determine the knowledge and practice about safe injection among injection providers in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: a cross –sectional survey of sixty two nurses was done in their working hours and 2119 observations were made in pre- designed pre-tested proforma. Results: Injection provider’s knowledge about risk of transmission of pathogens like HIV was 77.4%, for HBV was 33.8%, and for HCV was 1.6%. While knowledge about unsafe injection practices like reuse of same needle was 98.3% and reuse of same syringe with needle changed was 96.7%. Risk practices observed were providers did not wore gloves (43.1%), did not washed hands (70.3%), shredding of needle not done after use (91.7%), syringes and needle were placed on a surface or carried any distance prior to disposal (64.4%), injec- tion provider reached into a mass of used needle and syringes (36.6%) and recapping of needle was done (33.1%). Conclusion: The results indicates knowledge about safe injection practices was sufficient, despite that unsafe practices associated with risk to provider and community was seen.

Keywords

• Injection providers
• Knowledge
• Safe injection