Abstract

Aims: Awareness of hospital incidents and their causes can affect the managerial planning of hospitals and finding preventive measures in order to reduce occupational incidents and ultimately reduce in hospital expenses. This study was performed with the aim of investigating the prevalence rate of hospital accidents and their associating factors among the staff of one of Tehran hospitals. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 190 staffs of one of Tehran hospitals during 2008-2009. All incidents were considered and subjects were selected by systematic random sampling method. Data was collected by aquestionnaire and a checklist. Data was analyzed by SPSS 17 software using Chi square test and paired proportion test. Results: 62.6 of cases had been injured only once and 34.7 had been injured more than once. Cuts, perforations and ulcerations (92 cases) had the highest prevalence rate. Inobservance and imprudence was the cause of most cases of incidents and unsafe working conditions and lack of individual protective equipments were in the next order respectively. The effect of subjects' education level (p<0.001) and work experience (p<0.05) on incident rate was significant. Conclusion: Cuts, perforations and ulcerations have the highest prevalence rate among hospital accidents. Inobservance and imprudence is responsible for most cases of incidents. The education level and work experience have significant effect on the rate of hospital incidents.