Workbook for Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating a Sharps Injury Prevention Program

Contents:

A-3 Survey of Healthcare Personnel on Occupational Exposure to Blood and Body Fluids

This survey helps assess reporting of occupational exposure to blood and body fluids by your healthcare personnel as well as the efficiency of your organization's postexposure management system. The survey has two sections: Part A assesses healthcare personnel = s knowledge of procedures for reporting exposures and the frequency of under-reporting. Part B addresses personnel = s experience with the care system after reporting an exposure.

Information from this form can be used to identify problems with either exposure reporting or the care received after an exposure. It also may help identify areas for improvement through education, procedure revision, and/or system changes.

It is anticipated that an organization will administer this survey as part of a baseline assessment and periodically thereafter (e.g., every few years). The survey could target either all personnel or only those at risk for occupational exposure to blood and body fluids.

Healthcare organizations that choose to administer this survey should feel free to adapt the form to their needs. For example, the period of time for recalling exposures can be changed from 12 months to 3 or 6 months. Likewise, organizations may want to exclude Part B and focus only on exposure reporting.

The survey form is intended to protect the anonymity of responders. If the number of healthcare workers in one or more of the occupational groups included is small (e.g., phlebotomy team, IV team) then these groups should be removed from the form and combined with another occupational group (e.g., nursing staff, laboratory staff).

Items can be tallied either by hand or computer. If analysis by occupational group is desired, computer entry may be more efficient. A form for summarizing responses is included.

A sample letter to those personnel who will be completing the survey also is included. It is important that the confidentiality of the survey be emphasized in order to ensure the collection of accurate information and encourage participation.

  Workbook Section Link for this Toolkit Product:
A-3 Worksheet (138 KB/6 pages) / A-3 Worksheet (99 KB/2 pages)

  Organizational Steps
Step 2. Assess Program Operational Processes
Assess Sharps Injury Reporting