Sharp Material Injury and Associated Factors Among Healthcare Workers

A significant number of healthcare workers in public hospitals of Hadiya Zone, Central Ethiopia face sharp material injuries, which is a major occupational hazard worldwide. A recent study found that three in 10 healthcare workers experience sharp material injuries, with major causes including supervision, training, and proper disposal of sharp materials. The study suggests that regular supervision, training, and implementation of protocols for sharp material injury reports can reduce the occurrence of sharp material injuries.

Key Takeaways:

• A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 369 healthcare workers in public hospitals of Hadiya Zone, Central Ethiopia from June 10 to July 10, 2023.
• Three in 10 healthcare workers face sharp material injuries, with significant variables including supervision, training, protocol, recapping needles, disposing of sharp materials, segregating sharp waste, and reporting any sharp material injury immediately.
• Conducting regular supervision from hospital authorized bodies, training healthcare workers, developing and implementing protocols about sharp material injury reports, and proper disposal of sharp materials can reduce the occurrence of sharp material injuries.
• The study suggests that avoidance of recapping needles after injection and adequate segregation of sharp waste from other wastes can also reduce the risk of sharp material injuries.
• Since the publication of the study, no concrete steps have been taken by the College of Medicine and Health Sciences or the Ethiopian government to implement the suggested recommendations.

Statistics:

• 30% of healthcare workers experienced sharp material injuries.
• 369 healthcare workers participated in the study.
• The study was conducted from June 10 to July 10, 2023.
• The study used a simple random sampling technique to select participants.

Sources:

• "Sharp Material Injury and Associated Factors Among Healthcare Workers Working in Public Hospitals of Hadiya Zone, Central Ethiopia" by Hirut Binora et al., published in SAGE Open Nursing, 11 (2025), DOI: 10.1177/23779608251349404.
• "Studies from College of Medicine and Health Sciences Reveal New Findings on Nursing (Sharp Material Injury and Associated Factors Among Healthcare Workers Working in Public Hospitals of Hadiya Zone, Central Ethiopia)" by NewsRx, Health & Medicine Week, July 4, 2025, p 4727.