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

Background: We developed a 50-item questionnaire to assess emergency depart ment (ED) staff members' knowledge of bloodborne pathogen transmission, com pliance with Universal Precautions, and the use of personal protective equi pment. 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 infec tion risk, underreported exposures, and underused personal protection equip ment during trauma cases. Conclusion: Further educational interventions for ED personnel are needed t o increase their compliance with Universal Precautions.