title: Occupational exposures to body fluids and behaviors regarding their prevention and post-exposure among medical and nursing students at a Brazilian public university.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Uberlândia Medical School (FAMED/UFU), UberlândiaMG, Brazil, Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences of the Federal University of Uberlândia Medical School (FAMED/UFU). Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Ribeiro Fagundes de
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Souza-Borges
authors.affiliation: Undergraduate medical student of the FAMED/UFU, UberlândiaMG, Brazil, Undergraduate medical student of the FAMED/UFU. Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa Araújo
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Uberlândia Medical School (FAMED/UFU), UberlândiaMG, Brazil, Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences of the Federal University of Uberlândia Medical School (FAMED/UFU). Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos Marques de
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001826:Body Fluids; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011482:Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult