Abstract

In 1990, the authors surveyed 149 entering first-year residents at five university-affiliated hospitals concerning the residents' experiences and knowledge of infection control. Sixty residents (40%) had experienced a needlestick injury during medical school, but only 35 of these residents (58%) had reported the mishap. One hundred thirty-nine residents (93%) had received the hepatitis B vaccine. Of those 60 who had experienced a needlestick injury, 57 (95%) had received the vaccine. Of the 149 residents, 111 (74%) reported having received instructions in universal precautions, as advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. There was a trend for residents who had received the vaccine also to have been instructed in universal precautions. Regarding the residents' knowledge of infection control, there was no statistically significant difference between the responses of those who had been instructed in universal precautions and those who had not. The authors conclude that students are at risk for needlestick injuries; however, underreporting is frequent.