This study aims to identify the current conditions of blood and body fluid exposure of nurses in special departments and associated factors of compliance with standard precautions. For the purpose, the study interviewed 190 nurses working at special d...
This study aims to identify the current conditions of blood and body fluid exposure of nurses in special departments and associated factors of compliance with standard precautions. For the purpose, the study interviewed 190 nurses working at special departments of 1 university hospital and 1 general hospital using a self-report type questionnaire from October 1, 2010 to October 10. The data collected were analysed with uses of a t-test, an ANOVA, and a multi-variate regression analysis and statistical significance was p<0.05.
The results are as follows:
1) 74.2% of the subjects were injured by syringes or sharp tools which were used for patients for the past year and 35.3% had such experiences more than three times. 63.2% had experiences of being exposed to blood or body fluid and 31.2% were exposed more than three times. For the kinds of exposing matter, 47.8% were exposed to blood of patients, 32.0% were exposed to urine, 27.7% were exposed to phlegm and 22.1% was exposed to sputum. 37.5% were exposed to their faces, 24.1% to their left hands, and 24.1% to their right hands.
2) As a result of the regression analysis, it was identified that the subjects who graduated from graduate schools showed higher compliance with standard precautions(p=0.006) than those who had just diploma. In case when safety environment of Standard Precautions is good (p=0.015), surgery rooms(p=0.001) in intensive care units(p=0.000) influenced compliance with Standard Precautions.
In conclusion, it was discovered that more than 65% of the nurses had direct or indirect contact and injury by environmental sources of infection and associated factors of the compliance with Standard Precautions included educational background, safety environment and working departments. Therefore, 4-year nursing colleges should be activated and it is necessary for nurses to observe Standard Precautions as an infection control policy. Further studies on infection of nurses should be performed in a various method, and protection equipments and educational programs should be presented to enhance their compliance with standard precautions.