Exposição ocupacional dos profissionais de enfermagem de uma unidade de terapia intensiva a material biológico

This descriptive and exploratory study aimed to characterize nursing professionals from an intensive care unit who were victims of occupational accidents involving biological material, as well as the accidents. Data were collected between May and June of 2007, by means of individual interviews with a semistructured script. Thirty-seven professionals were interviewed, 25 (67.56%) of whom mentioned having been victims of an accident with biological material, and most of them were female nursing technicians, between 21 and 30 years old, who had less than 05 years of nursing experience. As to capacitation about how to prevent this type of exposure, 28 (75.7%) affirmed that they had received it, and only 14 (56%) subjects indicated that they were using individual protection equipment at the time of the accident. Most cases of exposure, 18 (72%) were percutaneous and blood was the most involved fluid, in 17 (68%) cases. The most frequently causes attributed to the occurrence of accidents were: lack of attention and hurry. Although the professionals alleged they had received capacitation during their education and professional activity, adherence levels to the use of individual protection equipment were low, evidencing the need to reconsider the work process and the strategies used in education programs.