Training-related accidents during teacher-student-assistance activities of medical students

Occupational Exposures to Blood and Body Fluid

Medical students and health professions students may be at high risk for occupational exposures to blood-borne pathogens. This retrospective chart review explored the rates and types of self-reported blood and body fluid exposures among medical students and health professions students at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS), the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2005, to determine an average rate of exposure reported by the student population at EVMS and in Virginia. Students at EVMS reported 126 exposures: 105 were needlestick and sharps injuries and 21 were blood and body fluid exposures. Fifty-one percent of the EVMS students reported not being the original user of the device causing their exposure. Students in Virginia reported 519 exposures. The majority of the exposures occurred in the operating room. Limitations of this study included student curricula not being reviewed and the medical schools' data collection methods not being compared. Student blood and body fluid exposures should be considered a serious and possibly deadly occupational hazard. Students must be deemed competent in basic health care procedures, universal precautions, and suturing techniques before being allowed to assist with or perform patient procedures.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practice of medical students regarding occupational risks of hepatitis B virus in college of medicine, aljouf university

BACKGROUND

Medical students represent a population that is at high-risk group for acquiring and spreading hepatitis B infection (HBV).

AIM

This study was designed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes among male student regarding occupational risks of HBV infection.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

During March 2013, a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on medical students of AlJouf University College of Medicine. Structured questionnaires of 16 different statements concerning knowledge base of HBV, attitudes as well as practices toward occupational risks of hepatitis B were distributed to 120 students.

RESULTS

Response rate of 76.7% (92/120) yielded 92 questionnaires for analysis. Majority of the students surveyed 62.0% (57/92) perceived that they are at high risk of contracting and spreading HBV. The rate of this perception among students who had a history of training on universal precautions was more than that found among those who did not have (70.8% vs. 58.8%; P < 0.01). Most of the students surveyed 63.0% (58/92) considered vaccine is safe and more than half 52.2% (48/92) were vaccinated against HBV. There were a very strong agreement about needlestick 92.4% (85/92) and blood 87.0% (80/92) as efficient modes of HBV transmission. Seventy-two percent of the participants did not have any knowledge about post-exposure prophylaxis for hepatitis B. A significant relationship was found between students who had a history of training on universal precautions and knowledge about post needlestick injury (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Infectious occupational risk of hepatitis B remains a challenge for medical students and the foundations of the medical institutes. Students must complete an infection control training before they start their clinical education.

Hepatitis B vaccination coverage and postvaccination serologic testing among medical students at a public university in Brazil

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the hepatitis B vaccination coverage among medical students at a public university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and their compliance with the postvaccination serologic testing recommendations. Of the total of 858 students, 675 (78.7%) participated in the study. Among the participants, 48.9% (95% CI: 45.1% to 52.7%) were vaccinated against hepatitis B (received ≥ 3 doses of the vaccine), 31.6% were not (received 0, 1 or 2 doses), and 19.6% did not know their vaccination status. Hepatitis B vaccination coverage increased from 26.0% among first-year students to 70.6% among sixth-year students while the prevalence of unknown vaccination status decreased from 39.7% among first-year students to 2.4% among sixth-year students. The frequency of unvaccinated students ranged from 23.7% among fifth-year students to 34.4% among first-year students. Only 34.8% of the vaccinated students performed the anti-HBs testing after vaccination. Among these medical students, we found a low adherence to the hepatitis B vaccination and to the postvaccination serologic testing. A comprehensive hepatitis B immunization program should be offered to students at this medical school.

Occupational exposures to body fluids and behaviors regarding their prevention and post-exposure among medical and nursing students at a Brazilian public university

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.

Thai nursing students' knowledge and health beliefs about AIDS and use of universal precautions: a cross-sectional descriptive research study

This study examined Thai nursing students' knowledge and health beliefs about the use of universal precautions to prevent infections, particularly HIV. After providing informed consent, 26 nursing students participated in the study. The students responded to a questionnaire with four sections: demographics, education, knowledge about universal precautions and transmission of HIV, and health belief. Students had substantial knowledge about the transmission of HIV; however they were not confident in the use of universal precautions to prevent transmission. This research will assist occupational health nurses in hospitals and educational institutions develop programs to enhance skills and attitudes to prevent HIV infection.

Frequency of hepatitis B immunity and occupational exposures to body fluids among brazilian medical students at a public university

In the present study the frequencies of immunity against hepatitis B (HB) and of potentially contaminating accidents among medical students of a Brazilian public university were evaluated. Of all the 400 students who should have been immunized, 303 (75.7%), 66.3% of whom were women, answered an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. Serum anti-HBs were determined in 205 of them and titers > 10 UI/L were considered to be protective. A total of 86.8% of students had received three doses of HB vaccine. The frequency of immunity among women (96.4%) was higher (p = 0.04) than that among men (87.7%). Among those who did not have immunity, 12/13 (92.3%) had been vaccinated before entering medical school. Only 11% of the students with complete vaccination had previously verified serological response to the vaccine. A total of 23.6% reported having been somehow exposed to blood or secretions. Among final-year students, this frequency was 45.0%, being similar among men (47.8%) and women (43.2%). Of all these accidents, 57.7% were due to body fluids coming in contact with mucosa and 42.3% due to cut and puncture accidents. The results from this study show that: 1) the frequency of immunity against HB is high among the evaluated medical students, although verification of response to vaccination is not a concern for them; 2) anti-HBs titers should be verified after complete vaccination and on a regular basis, especially by men; and 3) the frequency of potentially contaminating accidents is high.

Thai Nursing Students' Knowledge and Health Beliefs about AIDS and the Use of Universal Precautions

This study examined Thai nursing students' knowledge and health beliefs about the use of universal precautions to prevent infections, particularly HIV. After providing informed consent, 26 nursing students participated in the study. The students responded to a questionnaire with four sections: demographics, education, knowledge about universal precautions and transmission of HIV, and health beliefs. Students had substantial knowledge about the transmission of HIV; however, they were not confident in the use of universal precautions to prevent transmission. This research will assist occupational health nurses in hospitals and educational institutions develop programs to enhance skills and attitudes to prevent HIV infection.