NURSES are demanding the fast-tracking of retractable needles after 240 potentially fatal needle-stick injuries at Cairns Base Hospital in the past five years.

Staff are left wondering for up to six months if they have contracted life-threatening HIV or other infections while tests are conducted.

Last year, hospital staff were involved in 43 needle injuries - 24 were to doctors; 12 to nurses; four to dental staff and three to support service staff.

There were five injuries at Atherton and two at Mareeba.

The call from the nurses comes as the number of injuries has increased as patient numbers and workloads rise.

Infectious diseases professor Dr David Paterson said any of the 240 injuries in Cairns could have resulted in a fatal HIV infection.

"The chance is below 1 per cent," he said.

"But the big issue is really anxiety of health care workers when it happens.

"Everyone worries, sure we understand the risk is low but: 'Could I be the one?'," said the professor from Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.

The injuries were most likely to happen when needles were being disposed of, because of the needle systems used in most hospitals. Retractable needles, where the sharp point in the needle retracts in a protective cover, were needed, he said.

"For example, I draw some blood from a patient, and for some reason I prick my finger - that sort of exposure poses the risk of viral infections, particularly," Dr Paterson said.

Queensland Nurses' Union spokesman John Moranit said waiting up to six months for test results after a needle-stick injury was filled with anxiety.

Dr Paterson joined Mr Moranit's call for the speedy rollout of retractable needles - where the sharp point retracts into a protective cover.

A Queensland Health spokesman yesterday said there would be a reduction in needle-stick injuries after Far Northern hospitals finished introducing retractable syringes.

The rollout started earlier this year but he could not confirm when it would be finished. He said no medical staff at Cairns, Atherton or Mareeba hospitals had contracted HIV or any other condition in the past five years.

There were 4655 needle-stick injuries in 19 reporting Queensland Health hospitals between February 2002 and January 2007, with nurses suffering 2213 of those injuries.

About 169,000 patient services were performed at Cairns Hospital in 2007.

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