Evaluating the compliance of universal precautions by aeromedical personnel before and after an educational seminar on infectious diseases.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the compliance of an aeromedical crew with universal precautions and demonstrate what effect education has on utilization.


METHODS
Blinded time-series design.


METHODS
Helicopter emergency medical service.


METHODS
Aeromedical crew consisting of flight nurses, respiratory therapists, and doctors.


METHODS
A mandatory educational seminar on universal precautions as required by the Centers for Disease Control.


RESULTS
Before the educational seminar the flight crew utilized gloves in 42% of patient contacts and goggles 0% of the time. At that time, masks and gowns were not available. The nurses used gloves in 28/72 (39%) of patients, respiratory therapists in 27/71 (38%) of patients, and doctors in 12/19 (63%) of patients. The overall compliance after the education seminar was 61% for gloves and 0% for goggles. The nurses used gloves in 20/36 (56%) of patients, the respiratory therapist in 23/34 (68%) of patients, and the doctors in 11/16 (69%) of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of gloves and goggles as preventive measures to protect the aeromedical crew from the potential hazards of body fluid contact and transmission of disease during their treatment of patients is low. Compliance increased after an educational seminar on universal precautions but still remained low. Other modalities, such as quality assurance measures, continuing education, policies, and peer pressure, in addition to education, are necessary.
Schwartz
R J
RJ
Department of Emergency Medicine/Trauma, Hartford Hospital, CT 06115.
Jacobs
L M
LM
Juda
R J
RJ
D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000401:Aircraft; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D016635:Universal Precautions; D000078329:Workforce