Document 2156
 DOCN  M94A2156
 TI    Colleague responsibility in biological fluid exposures among health care
       workers (HCWs) in a general hospital.
 DT    9412
 AU    Chiodera A; Milini P; Tomasoni D; Gulletta M; Cristini G; Gussago A;
       Bonardi A; Signorini A; Carosi G; Univ. and Gen. Hosp., Brescia, Italy.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):369 (abstract no. PD0082). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94370419
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To examine the role of co-workers of HCWs in occurrence of
       exposure to potentially infected biologic fluid among HCWs in a General
       Hospital and changes over a 4-year period. METHODS: All 785 exposures to
       biologic fluid (regardless the infective risk and occupation) which
       occurred in the period 1989-92 were subdivided in 3 types according to
       the main responsibility: of the PATIENT (A = patient movement, B =
       assault); of a COLLEAGUE (C = working together at the moment or D =
       absent and indefinite); of the HCW himself. N.A. = non assessable.
       RESULTS: TABULAR DATA, SEE ABSTRACT VOLUME. DISCUSSION: The HCW is fully
       responsible in 65.1% of cases, increasing in percentage during the
       period, but stable in absolute value. Second is the responsibility of an
       absent colleague (20.1%), regularly decreasing over time, both in
       percentage and in absolute value. In details colleague carelessness was
       responsible for exposures to sharp objects in waste bag (decreasing from
       20 to 8), for too filled containers (from 10 to 4) and for unguarded
       needle (U.N.) (from 20 to 11). Because total exposures for U.N. in 1992
       was 22, HCWs themselves were responsible for half of such cases. Even if
       the use of appropriate tools is satisfactory, efforts must continue to
       stress the importance of the Universal Precautions application.
 DE    *Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional  Human  *Personnel,
       Hospital  MEETING ABSTRACT

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