Consequências individuais e ocupacionais da exposição a material biológico entre trabalhadores de enfermagem

Abstract

Preventing accidents from exposure to contaminated material is a challenge for workers and institutions. This descriptive study of the consequences of labor accidents with biological material, for nursing staff and the hospital, involved 69 nursing workers exposed to biological material in 2013. Data were drawn from the records of the Specialized Safety Engineering and Occupational Medicine Service, and entered on the Labor Accident Prevention Network’s electronic protocol. Semistructured interviews were conducted of 42 workers who had suffered accidents and 19 head nurses. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and tabulated. The accidents caused respondents primarily concern, insecurity and fear. Occupational exposure to biological material incurred leaves of absence for workers and treatment costs for the institution.