Status of bloodborne pathogen education for injection drug users in Indiana hospital emergency departments

• Main Author: Wenger, Mona L.
• Other Authors: Clark, Jeffrey K. (Jeffrey Kevin)
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Bloodborne infections > Indiana > Prevention.; Intravenous drug abusers > Education > Indiana.; Patient education > Indiana.; Hospitals > Emergency services > Employees.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/188239; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1372056

The problem of the study was to determine the status of bloodborne pathogen education for injection drug users in Indiana hospital emergency departments. The study was designed to answer the following research questions: (a) Do Indiana hospital emergency departments have written policies on bloodborne pathogen education for injection drug users? (b) To what extent do Indiana hospital emergency departments provide bloodborne pathogen education for injection drug users? and (c) What are the major barriers for Indiana hospital emergency departments in providing bloodborne pathogen education for injection drug users?A valid instrument was developed and sent to 110 Indiana hospital emergency department nurse managers. Forty-six instruments were returned for a response rate of 43.8%.The results indicated only three (7.1 %) responding hospital emergency departments had written bloodborne pathogen educational policies. Ten (20.8%) emergency departments provided some form of bloodborne pathogen education for injection drug users. Major barriers indicated for not providing patient education consisted of insufficient monetary resources, injection drug users denying a drug history, and emergency department nurses being unable to identify injection drug usage. === Department of Physiology and Health Science