Compliance with Universal Precautions among emergency department personnel: Implications for prevention programs, , ,

Background: We developed a 50-item questionnaire to assess emergency department (ED) staff members’ knowledge of bloodborne pathogen transmission, compliance with Universal Precautions, and the use of personal protective equipment. Method: A questionnaire was administered to 103 ED staff members including physicians, nurses, and technicians at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St Louis, a Level-I trauma center. Results: ED personnel had inadequate knowledge of bloodborne pathogen infection risk, underreported exposures, and underused personal protection equipment during trauma cases. Conclusion: Further educational interventions for ED personnel are needed to increase their compliance with Universal Precautions. (AJIC Am J Infect Control 1999;27:453-5)