Compliance of universal precautions: ensures safety to health care providers
Healthcare workers (HCWs) such as medical doctors, nurses, laboratory staff and aides who work in the hospitals, clinics and other health care settings are frequently exposed to infectious diseases. Some of these infectious diseases have no available vaccination; consequently, these blood borne infections are a major cause of risk for health care worker. The knowledge and awareness of universal precautions is thus essential for all HCWs and other people in at risk occupations. A review of the literature on universal precaution's using Google search engine was done. Twenty one scientific publications on universal precautions and standard precautions were reviewed and summarized. Health care professionals needed to be updated on the principles of universal basic precautions as it had been proven that there were deficiencies in the knowledge and applications of the practice of the universal precautions. To minimise the risks of acquiring HIV, HBV and other blood borne diseases during performance of job duties, workers should be protected from exposure to blood and other body fluids. In order to protect hospital workers, the hospital authorities must provide general information about the danger to be faced in practises, the ways in which AIDS and hepatitis were transmitted and must give general training with mass awareness to the hospital staff. It can be concluded that hospital staff and authorities other are equally responsible and accountable for transmission of these hospital-acquired information.