Abstract
BACKGROUND: Injuries caused by sharp objects are a major health risk for nurses. These injuries can be extremely dangerous and lead to various diseases. The purpose of this study was to establish the pooled prevalence of Needle Stick Injuries (NSIs) among nurses in Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eligible articles were searched from five electronic databases (Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus) and one search engine. A random effects model was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence. The heterogeneity of the sample was tested using the I(2) index, and the meta-regression function was used to evaluate variables suspected of heterogeneity at the 0.05 significance level. Finally, 21 articles were analyzed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (ver. 2.2.064). RESULTS: Based on the random-effects model, the frequency of NSIs among Iranian nurses is 18.70% (95% CI: 15.10%-22.90%). The highest frequency is recorded in a teaching hospital in Tehran in 2007 (19.80%; 95% CI: 16.40%-23.70%), and the lowest frequency was recorded in a teaching hospital in Tehran in 2008 (17.90%; 95% CI: 14.60%-21.80%). Sample size, mean age, and work experience were significantly associated with and mean and frequency of NSIs in nurses (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: NSIs occur in about one-fifth of nurses in Iranian hospitals. In addition to its cost burden, the increase in NSIs has negative consequences for nurses. Therefore, health policymakers and managers must take serious action to reduce these injuries.