Reducing Percutaneous Injuries in the OR by Educational Methods

Abstract

Exposure to bloodborne pathogens (e.g., HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C) through percutaneous injuries is an occupational risk for health care workers, especially those in the OR. The incidence of disease continues to rise, although occupational exposures often go unreported. Percutaneous injury prevention methods have included use of safety devices, practice changes, and educational programs. An educational intervention to increase awareness of risk, provide suggestions for injury reduction, and encourage reporting of exposures was performed at a university teaching hospital. Preliminary qualitative results show increased exposure reporting, increased use of personal protective equipment, and increased awareness of disease exposure risk among OR personnel.

Subnotificação de acidentes com perfurocortantes na enfermagem

“…A subnotificação da exposição ocupacional a doenças infecciosas é uma grande barreira para entender os riscos e os fatores associados com a exposição ocupacional a sangue e fluidos corpóreos (5) . No Brasil, embora o risco de acidentes dessa natureza estejam presentes nas atividades dos profissionais de saúde, principalmente entre trabalhadores de enfermagem, do grande número de pacientes portadores dos vírus HIV, HBV e HCV e das más condições de trabalho oferecidas por muitos hospitais, é observada a inexistência de dados sistematizados sobre a ocorrência dos acidentes com material pérfurocortante que permitam conhecer a real magnitude do problema.…”

Factors Surgical Team Members Perceive Influence Choices of Wearing or not Wearing Personal Protective Equipment During Operative/Invasive Procedures

“…These posters were placed at the scrub sinks near soap dispensers. Exposure rates decreased following the educational intervention, and there was a noticeable increase in the use of PPE based on inventory levels (Holodnick & Barkauskas, 2000).…”

“…Exposure reporting has also been studied finding that while HCWs' intentions to report exposure to blood and body fluids was high (92%), actually reporting the incident was considerably lower (23%; Osborne, 2003). Finally methods to reduce exposure have been examined finding that targeted educational programs can influence the use of PPE and exposure reporting by HCWs in operating room environments (Holodnick & Barkauskas, 2000).…”

“…Education can improve reporting of exposure to blood and body fluids (Holodnick & Barkauskas, 2000). The surgical services department at a university teaching hospital in the United States studied the effect of an education program on exposure reporting.…”

“…Based on the hypothesis that targeted education could reduce the occurrence of percutaneous injuries in the OR, nurses at one academic medical center in the Eastern United States developed and implemented an educational campaign aimed at all members of their surgical teams (Holodnick & Barkauskas, 2000). The educational intervention consisted of an awareness campaign that included lecture, video, local rates of injury; and to facilitate exposure reporting, the development and implementation of a streamlined body substance exposure kit.…”