Occupational exoosures to body fluids and behavors regarding their prevention and post-exposure among medical and nursing students at a Brazilian public university / Exposicoes ocupacionais a fluidos corporais e comportamentos em relacao a sua prevencao e pos-exposicao entre estudantes de medicina e de enfermagem de universidade publica brasileira

A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the frequencies and characteristics of occupational exposures among medical and nursing students at a Brazilian public university, in addition to their prevention and post-exposure behavior. During the second semester of 2010, a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was completed by 253/320 (79.1%) medical students of the clinical course and 149/200 (74.5%) nursing students who were already performing practical activities. Among medical students, 53 (20.9%) suffered 73 injuries, which mainly occurred while performing extra-curricular activities (32.9%), with cutting and piercing objects (56.2%), in the emergency room (39.7%), and as a result of lack of technical preparation or distraction (54.8%). Among nursing students, 27 (18.1%) suffered 37 injuries, which mainly occurred with hollow needles (67.6%) in the operating room or wards (72.2%), and as a result of lack of technical preparation or distraction (62.1%). Among medical and nursing students, respectively, 96.4% and 48% were dissatisfied with the instructions on previously received exposure prevention; 48% and 18% did not always use personal protective equipment; 67.6% and 16.8% recapped used needles; 49.3% and 35.1% did not bother to find out the source patient's serological results post-exposure; and 1.4% and 18.9% officially reported injuries. In conclusion, this study found high frequencies of exposures among the assessed students, inadequate practices in prevention and post-exposure, and, consequently, the need for training in “standard precautions” to prevent such exposures.

Estudo transversal foi realizado para verificar, entre estudantes de medicina e de enfermagem de universidade pública brasileira, as frequências e características de exposições ocupacionais e seus comportamentos na prevenção e pós-exposição. Durante o segundo semestre de 2010, questionário autoaplicável e semiestruturado foi completado por 253/320 (79,1%) estudantes de medicina do curso clínico e por 149/200 (74,5%) estudantes de enfermagem que já exerciam atividades práticas. Entre os estudantes de medicina, 53 (20,9%) sofreram 73 acidentes, que ocorreram principalmente em atividades extracurriculares (32,9%), com objetos pérfuro-cortantes (56,2%), na sala de emergência (39,7%) e em decorrência de despreparo técnico ou distração (54,8%). Entre os alunos de enfermagem, 27 (18,1%) sofreram 37 acidentes, que ocorreram principalmente com agulhas ocas (67,6%), no centro cirúrgico ou enfermarias (72,2%) e em decorrência de despreparo técnico ou distração (62,1%). Entre os alunos de medicina e de enfermagem, respectivamente, 96,4% e 48% estavam insatisfeitos com orientações previamente recebidas de prevenção de acidentes, 48% e 18% nem sempre utilizam equipamento de proteção individual, 67,6% e 16,8% reencapam agulhas usadas, 49,3% e 35,1% não se preocuparam em conhecer os exames sorológicos do paciente-fonte pós-exposição e 1,4% e 18,9% relataram o acidente oficialmente. Em conclusão, neste estudo verificaram-se altas frequências de exposições entre os estudantes avaliados, práticas inadequadas na prevenção e pós-exposição e, consequentemente, a necessidade de treinamento nas “precauções padrão” para prevenção de tais exposições.

Occupational exposures to body fluids and behaviors regarding their prevention and post-exposure among medical and nursing students at a Brazilian public university.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the frequencies and characteristics of occupational exposures among medical and nursing students at a Brazilian public university, in addition to their prevention and post-exposure behavior. During the second semester of 2010, a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was completed by 253/320 (79.1%) medical students of the clinical course and 149/200 (74.5%) nursing students who were already performing practical activities. Among medical students, 53 (20.9%) suffered 73 injuries, which mainly occurred while performing extra-curricular activities (32.9%), with cutting and piercing objects (56.2%), in the emergency room (39.7%), and as a result of lack of technical preparation or distraction (54.8%). Among nursing students, 27 (18.1%) suffered 37 injuries, which mainly occurred with hollow needles (67.6%) in the operating room or wards (72.2%), and as a result of lack of technical preparation or distraction (62.1%). Among medical and nursing students, respectively, 96.4% and 48% were dissatisfied with the instructions on previously received exposure prevention; 48% and 18% did not always use personal protective equipment; 67.6% and 16.8% recapped used needles; 49.3% and 35.1% did not bother to find out the source patient's serological results post-exposure; and 1.4% and 18.9% officially reported injuries. In conclusion, this study found high frequencies of exposures among the assessed students, inadequate practices in prevention and post-exposure, and, consequently, the need for training in "standard precautions" to prevent such exposures.