DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2014.v02i05.066

Pages: 1821-1823

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are potentially exposed to risk of infection with blood-borne pathogens (BBP). Universal precautions (UPs) are a set of precautions designed to prevent transmission of HIV, HBV and other blood borne pathogens while providing health care. The knowledge and understanding of UPs among HCWs in developing countries is inadequate. Present study was conducted to assess the knowledge on standard Universal precautions among medical and nursing students. The cross sectional study was conducted among 50 nursing and 50 medical students. A questionnaire was prepared based on the WHO and CDC guidelines. In the present study overall correct response from medical students was 75.6% and from nursing students was 85%. Nursing students were better than medical students in almost all aspects of knowledge regarding Universal precautions as well as compliance to Universal precautions. This difference was statistically significant.