This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (37)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Kenneth R. Courington, MD; Sarah L. Patterson, MD; Richard J. Howard, MD, PhD

Arch Surg. 1991;126(1):93-96.

Abstract
• Adherence to universal blood and body fluid precautions was studied in surgical patient care areas of a university hospital in an effort to identify potentially hazardous health care personnel practices. Surgical teams of an 18-unit operating room, three surgical ward patient care teams, and patient care personnel in a 16-bed surgical intensive care unit were observed during routine patient care activities before (study 1) and after (study 2) specific educational programs were held to improve universal precaution compliance. Overall, infractions occurred in 57% of 549 observed procedures in study 1 and in 58% of 616 observed procedures in study 2. In study 1, infractions occurred in 75% of operating room procedures, 30% of surgical ward procedures, and 75% of surgical intensive care unit procedures. Study 2 procedure infraction rates were 81%, 32%, and 40%, respectively. Only surgical intensive care unit compliance significantly improved. Noncompliance with universal precautions occurs frequently during the care of patients who have undergone surgery, with the type of infraction and specific offender varying according to patient locale. These violations appear unamenable to one-time educational efforts. Substantial overall improvement may arise from ongoing educational programs directed at specific personnel who care for patients who have undergone surgery.

(Arch Surg. 1991;126:93-96)

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication September 29, 1990.

Read before the Tenth Anniversary Meeting of the Surgical Infection Society, Cincinnati, Ohio, June 15, 1990.

Reprint requests to Department of Surgery, Box J-286, J. Hillis Miller Health Center, Gainesville, FL 32610 (Dr Howard).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Handwashing Compliance by Health Care Workers: The Impact of Introducing an Accessible, Alcohol-Based Hand Antiseptic
Bischoff et al.
Arch Intern Med 2000;160:1017-1021.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Compliance With Universal Precautions Among Pediatric Residents
Moore et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1998;152:554-557.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

An 'Academic Detailing' Intervention To Decrease Exposure to HIV Infection among Health-care Workers
Treloar et al.
J Health Psychol 1996;1:455-468.
ABSTRACT  

Effect of Educational Program on Compliance With Glove Use in a Pediatric Emergency Department
Friedland et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1992;146:1355-1358.
ABSTRACT