BACKGROUND: We developed a 50-item questionnaire to assess emergency department (ED) staff members' knowledge of bloodborne pathogen transmission, compliance with Universal Precautions, and the use of personal protective equipment. METHOD: A questionnaire was administered to 103 ED staff members including physicians, nurses, and technicians at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St Louis, a Level-I trauma center. RESULTS: ED personnel had inadequate knowledge of bloodborne pathogen infection risk, underreported exposures, and underused personal protection equipment during trauma cases. CONCLUSION: Further educational interventions for ED personnel are needed to increase their compliance with Universal Precautions.
BACKGROUND: We developed a 50-item questionnaire to assess emergency department (ED) staff members' knowledge of bloodborne pathogen transmission, compliance with Universal Precautions, and the use of personal protective equipment. METHOD: A questionnaire was administered to 103 ED staff members including physicians, nurses, and technicians at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St Louis, a Level-I trauma center. RESULTS: ED personnel had inadequate knowledge of bloodborne pathogen infection risk, underreported exposures, and underused personal protection equipment during trauma cases. CONCLUSION: Further educational interventions for ED personnel are needed to increase their compliance with Universal Precautions.
Authors: D Linn Holness; Sean Somerville; Agnieszka Kosny; Janet Gadeski; John Joseph Mastandrea; G Malcolm Sinclair Journal: J Urban Health Date: 2004-09 Impact factor: 3.671