Abstract

Biosecurity is a central component to be taken into account in order for professionals to undertake their activities while minimizing damage to their health and to health service users. Educational institutions and teaching nurses play a fundamental role in this process. A qualitative descriptive exploratory research study was carried out to understand the teaching nurses' biosecurity practices during the supervision of the internship of students taking technical courses in nursing. Data were collected in 2012, with 11 teaching nurses from two institutions in the federal network of professional, scientific, and technological education in Southern Brazil. Methodological triangulation was done with data collected through a documental study, semi-structured interviews, and observation, guided by thematic content analysis of Bardin. The results showed that the teachers' actions in biosecurity are influenced by the availability of and access to materials and equipment, by the amount and quality of personal protective equipment, by the infrastructure of the healthcare institutions, by care institutions and teaching laboratories, and by their knowledge on the subject. It was concluded that the protective actions in the teaching practice are influenced by knowledge, by working conditions, and by the choice of subjects.

Keywords
exposure to biological agents; biosecurity; nursing; technical education in nursing; worker's health