Underreporting of accidents with biological material by the nursing team of a Brazilian emergency hospital

Background: underreporting of occupational accidents with biological material is currently a challenge for the prevention and control of this type of accident.

Objective: to identify the prevalence of underreporting of occupational accidents with biological material by the nursing team of a Brazilian tertiary care emergency hospital.

Methods: this is a cross-sectional study approved by the Ethics Research Committee of a public tertiary hospital specialized in urgency and emergency. Of the 518 nursing professionals in the facility, 451 agreed to participate in the study and were individually interviewed between April and July 2009.

Results: Of the 451 interviewed individuals, 237 reported 425 accidents with biological material in the last five years. The prevalence of under notification was 23.63%  and there were individuals who did not report up to seven accidents. In relation to under reported accidents, 53.47% were percutaneous, 10.89% mucocutaneous and 35.64% intact skin. We highlight that blood was the fluid involved in 67.33% of underreporting. The main reported reasons for under notification were: lack of knowledge about the notification mechanism, fear of communicating the direction, excess of bureaucracy in filling out forms, and considered the accident of low risk.

Conclusions: the prevalence of underreporting was low when compared to other studies, however exposure classified as high risk, whether through percutaneous via or involving blood were not reported evidencing that risks were underestimated. When we consider that the report of accidents ensures legal support to professionals and contribute to the knowledge about the real scenario of the epidemiology of accidents, mechanisms to increase notifications should be implemented by health institutions.