When taking care of oneself is also a learning process: 15 6

Risk of contagion and protection for students and residents in hospitals

Abstract

Health personnel, including undergraduate students and medical residents, face a high risk of acquiring healthcare‑associated infections, especially in settings with a high patient load and limited resources. The WHO estimates that strong infection prevention and control programs can reduce healthcare‑associated infections by up to 70%, but in many hospitals these measures are applied only partially or inconsistently. The main causes include lack of ongoing training, work overload, shortage of basic supplies, a weak organizational culture of patient safety, and insufficient supervision of students’ and residents’ practices. For health sciences students, various studies report rates of accidents with exposure to blood and body fluids ranging from 20% to 40% during their training, often due to non‑compliance with personal protective equipment use or inadequate technique in invasive procedures. Key measures recommended by WHO and the UN include strict hand hygiene, appropriate vaccination, correct use of personal protective equipment, clear protocols for occupational exposures, and a safety culture that allows incident reporting without blame. Finally, it is important to emphasize that protecting personnel in training not only reduces the risk of infection, but also strengthens the quality and humanity of the care provided to patients.