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Poster presentation
0237 Psychosocial Impacts of a Contaminated Needlestick Injury or Blood and Body Fluid Exposure in Health Care Workers
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  1. Hsueh-Ching Wu1,2,
  2. Weishan Chin3,
  3. Judith Shu-Chu Shiao2,
  4. Yue-Liang Leon Guo3,4,
  5. Yueh-Tzu Hsieh5
  1. 1Department of Nursing, Hsin Sheng Junior College of Medical Care and Management, Taoyuan, Taiwan
  2. 2Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University (NTU) and NTU Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
  3. 3Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
  4. 4Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University (NTU) and NTU Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
  5. 5Department of Nursing, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, Taiwan

Abstract

Objectives This study aims to explore the psychosocial impacts of health care workers (HCW) who were exposed to a contaminated needlestick Injury (NSI) or blood and body fluid (BBF) at work.

Method Personal interviews were performed using a phenomenological approach including in-depth interviews fort data collection, and expert meetings for data analysis. The trustworthiness of the study was examined using Lincoln and Guba (1985) principles.

Results Seventeen health care workers participated in our study. There are five main themes generated, including (1) Emotional loading: shock and collapse, fear of being seroconverted to infectious diseases, worry about family members, and damage of the professional image. (2) Disappointment on the working environment: lack of manpower support, feel isolated and helpless. (3) Disapproving eyes: invasion of privacy, fear of being labelled. (4) Impact on life: feelings of life-threatening, prophylaxis of physical discomfort, impact on professional ambitions. (5) Self-adjustment: efforts to recover from the event.

Conclusions A needlestick injury not only causes risk of infection, but has great psychosocial impact to the victims. Intervention should cover psychosocial support to the health care workers in addition to prophylaxis of infection.

https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2014-102362.282

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