Perceived knowledge of blood-borne pathogens and avoidance of contact with infected patients.

Purpose: To examine the relationship between nurses' knowledge of blood-borne pathogens (BBPs), their professional behavior regarding handwashing, compliance with standard precautions (SPs), and avoidance of therapeutic contact with BBP-infected patients.

Design: This cross-sectional design study took place in a regional medical center in Central Israel during 2003.

Methods: Of the 180 participants, 159 (88.

Physicians' and nurses' views on infected health care workers.

This study investigated 204 doctors' and nurses' perceived knowledge of bloodborne pathogens and their attitudes towards bloodborne pathogen-infected health care workers. A structured questionnaire examined: (1) their perceived knowledge of bloodborne pathogens; (2) their attitudes towards bloodborne pathogen-infected personnel; and (3) their opinions on limitation of employment of bloodborne pathogen-infected personnel and restrictions on performing clinical procedures. The levels of HIV-related knowledge were significantly higher than for hepatitis C and B viruses.