University of Plymouth Research

Dr Kevin Hambridge and 4 nurse lecturer colleagues from the University of Plymouth have conducted a survey of sharps injuries sustained by pre-registration healthcare students. This includes students of nursing, midwifery, medicine, dentistry, dietetics, occupational therapy, optometry, paramedicine, physiotherapy, podiatry and radiography. The survey will ascertain which students sustain sharps injuries, what sharp devices are involved, what the causes of the injuries were, where they occurred, and the impact on the student. The Needlemakers' Company has provided a grant which will be spent on the data analysis process and enable a researcher to attend a conference to distribute the research findings. Identifying who, why, and where healthcare students have sharps injuries will enable prevention strategies to be implemented and will enable psychological support to be given.