Original Research: The pattern of sharps injury to health care workers at Witbank Hospital

Results: A total of 435 HCWs completed the questionnaire. 1. A total of 46.7% of respondents had suffered from either needlestick/sharps injury (74.47%) or contamination of skin/mucous membranes (25.53%). 2. A total of 76.9% of all needlestick/sharps injuries were inflicted by injection needles. 3. Taking blood was the most dangerous procedure/activity: it was responsible for 29.56% of all injuries. 4. A total of 44.61% of injured HCWs reported one injury, 45.59% reported two to three injuries and 9,8% were injured more than three times. 5. The youngest interviewed group (20–29 years old) was injured most frequently (61.9%). 6. Professional nurses, who are the largest professional group employed at the hospital, were involved in 41.38% of all reported injuries. 7. House doctors reported the highest rates of injury: 84.37% of them were injured at least once.