Half of nurses have been injured by needles used on patients, with many fearing they could be at risk of diseases like HIV and hepatitis C, a report said.
Nurses 'in fear' of needle injuries Nine out of 10 (90%) nurses surveyed by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said their last injury from a needle drew blood.
The head of the union warned of the "potentially lethal consequences" for nurses of being injured by needles.
The RCN's study of almost 5,000 nurses revealed 48% had been injured by a needle that had previously been used on a patient, and a third (34%) feared they might contract a disease.
While most nurses received information from their employer on the risks of blood-borne diseases, more than one in four (28%) did not.
Only a third of nurses working within the NHS who had suffered an injury, regarded the support offered by their employer as adequate.
Some 94% of employers have a "sharps" policy that covers prevention and reporting, but only around half (55%) of nurses have received any training from their employer on safer needle use, the survey found. Almost all nurses (96%) surveyed said they used needles as part of their job.
The findings are published in the RCN's Needlestick Injury in 2008 report, being presented in the House of Commons.
The RCN's chief executive and general secretary, Dr Peter Carter said: "With potentially lethal consequences, 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."
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