Through a cross-sectional survey, this study analyzes the current status of occupational exposure to sharp injuries among hospital nursing interns and further investigates its influencing factors. The findings aim to provide data and theoretical evidence for studying the situation and contributing factors of sharp injury exposure among nursing interns in clinical practice, and for reducing the incidence of such exposures. Nursing students from the 21st grade who are currently interning in Shanghai were selected as the survey participants. A comprehensive survey scale on sharp instrument injury experiences was used as the measurement tool for the cross-sectional survey. Quantitative data were described using mean ± standard deviation, while categorical data were described using frequency and percentage. With the total score of the sharp instrument injury experience survey as the dependent variable and general information as the independent variable, influence factor analysis was conducted. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for univariate analysis, and linear regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis. The results of ANOVA showed significant differences (P < 0.05) among university academic performance, interning hospital, and the relationship with supervising teachers. Linear regression analysis revealed that university academic performance, interning hospital, and relationship with supervising teachers had significant influences (P < 0.05) on the awareness of occupational exposure to sharp instrument injuries. This study reveals that the incidence of occupational exposure to sharp injuries among 2021-grade nursing interns in Shanghai was lower than expected. The overall situation is not satisfactory. The three factors of university academic performance, interning hospital, and relationship with supervising teachers have significant impacts on the occurrence of sharp injury exposures.