The risk presented by health care workers of acquiring bloodborne pathogens is well documented by the literature, which shows that Aids and Hepatitis acquired in the work setting is a real fact. This descriptive retrospective study was conducted in a university hospital in 1998 and aimed at analyzing needlestick injuries in nursing workers. Results showed that of the 398 officially reported occupational accidents, 125 (30.40%) were needlestick injuries and that 89 (71.20%) occurred among nursing workers. The most frequent occurrences took place during medication administration (25.78%). Authors concluded that nursing workers were the most frequently victimized workers by occupational accidents involving needlestick injuries.
occupational risk; nursing team
