Villarino ME, Giuliano D, Jarvis W; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1990 Jun 20-23; 6: 412 (abstract no. 3043).
Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
OBJECTIVE: To prevent HIV and other bloodborne infections in health-care workers (HCW), the CDC has recommended that universal precautions (UP)--control measures designed to treat all patients as potentially infective--be used in all health care settings. This study was designed to assess knowledge of UP among HCW at long-term care facilities (LTCF). METHODS: In September 1989, we surveyed a convenience sample of 45 HCW (24 registered nurses [RN] and 21 licensed practical nurses [LPN] at 35 LTCF. RESULTS: Although 36 (80%) HCW knew that UP applied to all patients, only 12 (27%) knew that UP apply only to bloodborne but not other types of pathogens. Fourteen (31%) knew that warning labels on laboratory specimens of known HIV-infected patients are not recommended, and only 8 (18%) agreed that a UP sign should not be posted on an HIV-Infected patient's door. Most (80%) HCW were not aware of a protocol at their LTCF for managing adverse exposures (percutaneous, mucous membrane or open wound) to blood. Overall knowledge of UP varied by HCW's level of education (10/24 [41.6%] RN but only 3/18 [14.3%] LPN correctly answered at least 80% of UP-related questions, Odds Ratio [OR] - 4.29, p - 0.043), but not by LTCF size (8/24 HCW in LTCF with less than or equal to 99 beds vs. 5/21 HCW in LTCF with greater than 99 beds, OR = 1.60, p = 0.48). CONCLUSION: These results show that knowledge of UP and appropriate management of adverse exposures is inadequate among HCW in LTCF. Because the care of patients with AIDS or HIV infection is a new and growing responsibility for many LTCF, greater efforts to educate LTCF-HCW about UP are necessary if adverse exposures and bloodborne infections are to be prevented.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health Personnel
- Humans
- Infection
- Infection Control, Dental
- Knowledge
- Long-Term Care
- Universal Precautions
Other ID:
UI: 102197234
From Meeting Abstracts