Needlestick and Sharps Injuries Among Nursing Students in Palestine: Prevalence, Reporting Practices, and Associated Factors.

BACKGROUND

Needlestick and sharps injuries (NSIs) are a major occupational hazard among nursing students. Although previous studies in Palestine have reported prevalence and awareness, analytically driven evidence identifying factors independently associated with NSIs remains limited.

AIM: This study aimed to assess the prevalence, experiences, and reporting practices of NSIs and to identify factors independently associated with NSIs among nursing students in the southern West Bank, Palestine.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling among 398 bachelor's nursing students from four universities. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multivariable logistic regression (p < 0.05).

RESULTS

The prevalence of NSIs was 28.6% (n = 114). Blood drawing (38.5%) and needle recapping (30.7%) were the most common causes. Most students reported incidents (83.3%), although fear of blame and lack of procedural knowledge persisted. In the multivariable analysis, higher perceived stress when handling sharps was significantly associated with increased odds of NSIs (aOR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.35-3.37). Academic year, glove use, recapping behavior, and equipment availability were not significantly associated with NSIs.

CONCLUSION

NSIs are relatively common among nursing students in this setting. The findings suggest that perceived stress is associated with NSI occurrence; however, due to the cross-sectional design, causal inferences cannot be made. Further longitudinal research is needed to understand causal pathways, explore additional contributing factors, and inform effective prevention strategies.