Abstract
Background and objectives: Numerous pathogens can be transmitted by exposing to blood and other body fluids. Health care workers are exposed to human biological fluids, and these factors cause fatal and chronic diseases. Thus, health protection of these individuals and primary prevention of these diseases with compliance of preventive principles may be necessary.
Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive study in which we had observed the practice of 280 health care workers (33 specialists, and 50 residents of obstetric and gynecology, 19 midwifes, and 15 nurse’s aids, 34 nurses and 129 midwifery students) in delivery, operating rooms and surgical-obstetrical wards of medical educational ـ centers of Tabriz. Stratified random sampling was used for sample selection. Data were gathered by a checklist through observation of subjects’ practice. Descriptive (frequencies, percent, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (chi square, fisher test, t test and ANOVA) were used for data analyses.
Results: Results showed that samples practice was good among 18.6% of participants and moderate in 61.4% of them. The level of practice of midwives (60.5 %) and midwifery students (45.5%) were the highest one and the lowest one respectively. There was statistically significant difference between personnel and students practices with their job (P<0.001), ward (P<0.001), age (P<0.013), work shift (p<0.017) and course of midwifery students (p<0.002).
Conclusion: Results of this study showed that personnel and students practices are well only among 18.6%. of subjects. Therefore probable causes of this low rate should be considered and managers should provide educational programs about prevention of blood borne diseases. They also should provide some protective equipment against mentioned diseases for health care workers in order to increase their motivations for using prevention principles.