Needle stick injury most commonly occurs during which of the following procedure?

RML Lucknow - 2021

Fundamental of Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: RML Lucknow - 2021

Explanation

Recapping a used needle is identified as the most frequent cause of needlestick injuries.
The procedure involves bringing the fingers of one hand dangerously close to the contaminated needle tip, creating a high risk of an accidental puncture.
Due to this high risk, recapping needles is a prohibited practice in modern healthcare, and safety guidelines mandate immediate disposal after use.
Studies show a significant percentage of needlestick injuries are directly attributable to improper disposal, with recapping being a primary contributor.

Option A: Although giving an IM injection carries a risk of needlestick injury, it is not the most common cause. The procedure focuses on patient administration, followed by immediate disposal of the sharp, which reduces the opportunity for injury compared to manipulating a used needle.
Option C: Similar to IM injections, giving an IV injection has an inherent risk, but it is lower than recapping. The risk is primarily during the insertion or removal of the IV catheter, not from manipulating the needle after use.
Option D: Crushing, bending, or breaking needles is a strictly forbidden practice. Needles must be disposed of intact in a designated sharps container. Since this procedure should not be performed at all, it cannot be a common cause of injury.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Causes and prevention of needlestick injuries in healthcare settings helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Preventing needlestick injuries is a critical safety standard to protect healthcare workers from bloodborne pathogens like HIV, Hepatitis B (HBV), and Hepatitis C (HCV).
The risk of transmission after a needlestick is highest for HBV (up to 30%), followed by HCV (1.8%), and HIV (0.3%).
All healthcare workers should be vaccinated against Hepatitis B and have their antibody titers checked to ensure immunity.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the core of the question, which asks for the most common cause of needlestick injuries.
Evaluate each option based on standard safety protocols for handling sharps in a clinical setting.
Consider the physical actions involved in each procedure. Recapping involves deliberately bringing a hand close to a contaminated sharp, a high-risk maneuver.
Giving injections (IM/IV) involves risk, but the focus is on the patient, followed by immediate disposal. Crushing is a prohibited practice.
Compare the relative risks. The act of recapping is inherently more dangerous and frequently performed incorrectly, making it the leading cause of such injuries.
Conclude that recapping presents the highest frequency of risk according to safety guidelines and epidemiological data.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Causes and prevention of needlestick injuries in healthcare settings.
Stem keywords: Needle stick injury, most commonly occurs
Lead-in keywords: which of the following
Negative lead-in flag: false

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