Study of needle-stick injuries among health care workers in Kuwait: part I. epidemiological features and variations netween Kuwaiti and non Kuwaiti health care workers

Health care workers are frequently exposed to percutaneous injuries with contaminated sharps, which cause a large proportion of all HCV, HBV and HIV infections. In Kuwait, the proportion of professional nurses and midwifes among all health care workers at risk of sharp injuries was 49%. Identify epidemiological features of needle-stick injuries occurring among health care workers in Kuwait. A cross-sectional case series study was carried out in the general hospitals in Kuwait. A self assessed questionnaire form was designed to collect data. The average number of NSI per health worker per year was 2.1 +/- 3.4 injuries. Nurses represented the greatest majority of the injured cases [67.08%]. The majority of health workers have been vaccinated against HB virus and trained about Safety injections. They had knowledge about the danger of NSIs and followed the safety precautions during injections. Only 36.4% of injured workers reported to infection control. The patient's room ranked the first place of occurrence. Higher proportion of the nurses [57.9%] complained about the unclear visualization. Doctors were more exposed to more than 4 times of NSIs. Left hand was the most common affected site specially during recapping the needles. Non Kuwaiti workers comstituted three quarters of the injured cases. Significant differences were noticed between Kuwaiti and non Kuwaiti health workers as regard: rate, place of occurrence, working experience and procedures associated with NSIs. Much more emphasis must be directed to the nurses. Improving knowledge and practices of all workers about the one hand technique for recapping needles and post-exposure prophylaxis must be the main focus of training programs

Study of neddke-stick injuries among health care workers in Kuwait: part II. determinats of needle-stick injuries

Health care workers are at increased risk of infection with blood borne pathogens because of occupational exposure to blood and other body fluids. Those infections could largely be prevented by making more efforts to reduce the percutaneous injuries with sharp objects. To determine personal and environmental risk factors associated with occurrence of needle-stick injuries. Hospital based case control study was held in general hospitals in Kuwait. A self assessed questionnaire used to collect data. The most important risk factors for NSIs were: nationality, health work categories, lack of training, having no hospital policy for dealing with NSIs and hot climate. Implementing training programs is recommended to improve knowledge and practices of health care workers about safety injections

Bed utilization indices in the general hospitals in state of Kuwait 2004

Hospitals are an important part of the health care system and hospital costs are the largest component of the health care spending. This study aims to analyze and compare the hospital bed utilization indices in the general hospitals in Kuwait for year 2004. Review of the records of some departments of the general hospitals in Kuwait [which are general surgery, internal medicine and pediatrics departments] was done. Calculation and comparison of the hospital bed utilization indices was performed for the year 2004. An analysis of bed complement [B. C.] at the various general hospitals for the year 2004 revealed that Mubarak Al Kabir, Amiri and Sabah hospitals had the maximum B.C. Jahra and Adan hospitals had the maximum bed occupancy rate [B.O.R]. Sabah, Amiri and Mubarak Al-Kabir had the maximum average length of stay [A.L.S]. Farwania hospital has the maximum turn over interval [T.O.I], while Jahra hospital has the minimum T. O. I. [regarding generral surgery] and the maximum Turn over rate [T. O. R] regarding all selected departments [general 2Preral medicine and pediatric department]. Farwania, Amen and Sabah hospitals have the minimum surgery, internal medicine and pediatric departments respectively]. The results of this study can be valuable in providing scientific and effective example that highlights some gaps in the indices between various general hospitals for better achievements on the developmental scale