Accidents with potentially hazardous biological material among workers in hospital supporting services

Authors

  • Silvia Rita Marin da Silva Canini University of São Paulo; Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing
  • Elucir Gir University of São Paulo; Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing
  • Alcyone Artiolli Machado University of São Paulo; Ribeirão Preto Medical School

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692005000400006

Keywords:

accidents, occupational, blood-borne pathogens, support services, hospital

Abstract

Descriptive study was carried out to characterize the occupational accidents involving potentially contaminated material among workers of hospital supporting services. The study reviewed records of workers involved in these accidents and attended at a specialized outpatient clinic of a large tertiary care hospital between January 1997 and October 2001. A total of 2814 workers from different professional categories were attended during this period. Of these, 147 (5.2%) belonged to the hospital supporting services and were the victims of 156 accidents, auxiliary cleaning personnel (80.2%), and over a third of the workers had not received any dose of hepatitis B vaccine (35.4%). Most accidents were due to sharp injuries (96.8%) caused by inadequately discarded hollow needles. Chemoprophylaxis for HIV was not indicated in only 23.1% of cases. We conclude that these workers are also exposed to the possibility of acquiring blood-borne pathogens and that periodical education programs are needed.

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Published

2005-08-01

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 4 (2005)

Section

Original Articles

License

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Including names of authors whose contribution does not fit into the above criteria cannot be justified. Those names can be included in the Acknowledgements section.
 Authors are fully responsible for the concepts disseminated in their manuscripts, which do not necessarily reflect the editors’ and editorial board’s opinion.

 

How to Cite

Accidents with potentially hazardous biological material among workers in hospital supporting services. (2005). Revista Latino-Americana De Enfermagem, 13(4), 496-500. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692005000400006