One in three nurses fear contracting HIV
A third of nurses fear they are at risk of contracting diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C from being struck by used needles, according to a report.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) revealed around half of all nurses have been struck by a needle previously in a patient and 90 per cent of the time blood was drawn.
After telling their employer, more than a quarter of nurses did not receive advice about the risks of blood-borne diseases and only one in three were satisfied with support provided.
Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the RCN said: “Being stuck by a needle can be a very traumatic experience, yet too many employers in the NHS fail to provide the necessary support to nurses.
“Government and employers in the NHS need to start taking this issue seriously by introducing needle policies and investing in safer alternatives to traditional needles, so that these accidents don’t happen in the first place,” he added.
Ninety-six per cent of nurses use needles regularly as part of their job.
