Abstract
M.A.
The aim of this research was to explore the lived experience of three medical doctors after experiencing a needle stick injury. Needle stick injuries were defined as injuries, self-inflicted or by colleagues, where a needle punctures or lacerates the skin. There is an associated risk of HIV transmission via a needle stick injury, which prompted the exploration of the psychological aspects of the injury.
The research was contextualised in terms of South Africa’s spiralling rate of HIV infection, as a result of which, it is reasonable to expect that doctors will increasingly be treating HIV positive patients. The research explored an area that has largely been untouched by researchers. The literature study showed that as regards needle stick injuries, the focus tends to be on the injury itself, the risk of HIV transmission and the causal patterns surrounding it, rather than on the psychological consequences.
The research takes the form of an exploratory study and as such it applied qualitative research methodology. Semi-structured interviews were used, as it allowed for the greatest flexibility. In addition, the semi-structured interviews allowed the doctors the freedom to introduce and explore areas that were outside the questions posed by the researcher. The interviews were conducted at a place of the doctors choosing and all were recorded. For reasons of confidentiality, no names have been used and dates of qualification etc have been deliberately vague.
The research found that the doctors experienced anxiety and fear after their injuries. Furthermore, it shows how friends, family and colleagues left them to deal with these feelings unaided. Broad themes of emotional deprivation, isolation, the doctor as patient and responsibility and support, were identified. Lastly the research found that the doctors learnt from their experiences and were able to demonstrate more compassion towards colleagues who had similar experiences, which they had previously been unable to show.
It is hoped that this research and its findings will provide some insight onto the experiences after such an injury, and perhaps prompt further research into an area that has largely been left untouched.