title: Blood and body fluid exposures during clinical training: relation to knowledge of universal precautions.
abstract: To investigate the relation between knowledge of universal precautions and rates of exposure to blood and body fluid during clinical training, a cohort of 155 students was surveyed following training in universal precautions and 18 months later. A total of 127 students (82%) participated; 58 (46%) experienced at least one exposure during the first clinical training year. Knowledge of universal precautions was inversely associated with the frequency of mucous membrane exposures (p .001); an apparent "dose-response" effect was evident (one-way analysis of variance; F = 5.2, p - 0.007). Students are frequently exposed to blood and body fluid during clinical training. Higher levels of retained knowledge about universal precautions are associated with a decreased risk of mucous membrane exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, 52242, USA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Diekema
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Albanese
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Schuldt
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Doebbeling
mesh_terms: D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013336:Students, Health Occupations; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016635:Universal Precautions