Nursing Students' Perceptions on Sharps Injuries Risk, Prevalence, and Double-gloving as a Prevention Strategy: Implications for Online Graduate Nursing Education

Abstract

In the United States, 385,000 healthcare staff experience sharps injuries annually, costing the healthcare system over one billion dollars. double-gloving can reduce perforations by up to 71-85%. The problem is that healthcare personnel often do not utilize double-gloving. This study was performed to identify the perceptions, perceived barriers, and prevalence of double-gloving among nursing students, who have the highest rate of sharps injuries. A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted in 2023 for 737 nursing students at a California-based university. Based on the Health Belief Model, the Student Nurse Needlestick Injury Prediction (SNNIP) Scale was validated using a Likert Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS, under the Chi-Square and Independent Sample T-tests. Of 162 participants, most were white females, aged 25-40, Bachelor/BSN program, 5-10 years experienced, and 34% with at least one sharps injury. While 88.6% were single-gloved upon injury, 21.3% routinely double-gloved (Universal Rate: 43%). Participants agreed with the risks of sharps injuries and their severity, but disagreed with double-gloving efficacy for prevention (21.3% vs 71-85%). There was a 25% glove allergy induction (standard: 8-12%).  Nursing students had insight regarding the seriousness of sharps injuries, their complications, and the necessity of prevention strategies. Simultaneously, their perceptions of double-gloving with the necessity of education in this regard were unsatisfactory. Therefore, continuous education and training regarding double-gloving, especially through online courses and e-learning credentials, because of their worldwide accessible and acceptance due to compliance with the healthcare personnel's busy schedule, must be encouraged. Moreover, interdisciplinary collaboration with supervisory bodies such as the CDC or FDA for glove quality assessment is another main recommendation of this study.