Nini Asfaw Negash

Title : Knowledge and practice of nurses towards prevention of hospital acquired infections and its associated factors

Abstract:

Background: Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) are the common conditions among hospitalized patients and health care workers (HCWs). HAI prolongs hospitalization; increases cost of treatment and contribute to death.

Objective: To assess knowledge and practice of nurses towards prevention of HAIs at Aksum Saint Mary hospital, Northern Ethiopia.

Method: Facility based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 25 - June15, 2019 among 139 nurses in Aksum Saint Mary hospital. A pretested and self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were entered using EPI info version 7.0 statistical software and analyzed using SPSS version 20 statistical package. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was carried out to identify the significant factors.  A p-value less than 0.05 were used to declare statistical significance.

Result: 139 (97.2%) nurses participated in the study. 52.5 % of the nurses had good knowledge;  48.6 % of them had good practice on prevention of HAIs. Work experience [AOR = 2.3, 95% CI (1.54–3.91)] and having formal training [AOR = 1.6, 95 % CI (1.15–3.82)] were significantly associated with knowledge. While, educational status [AOR = 2.4, 95 % CI (1.6–4.06)], work experience [AOR = 1.82, 95 % CI (1.08–2.78)] and availability of guidelines [AOR = 2.6, 95 % CI (2.26–4.37)] were found to be significantly associated with practice.

Conclusion and recommendation: Nurses’ knowledge and practice regarding to prevention of HAIs was found to be inadequate. Being more experienced and attending formal training showed a positive association with knowledge; while having higher educational status, being more experienced and reading guidelines on prevention of HAIs were found to be associated with good practice. Continuing educational programs, in-service training and ensuring availability of the necessary guidelines are essential steps to improve knowledge and practice of nurses regarding to prevention of HAIs.

Keywords: Hospital acquired infections; Knowledge; Nurse; Practice.

Biography:

Nini is Assistant professor of surgical nursing at university of Gondar, Ethiopia. She earned a bachelor degree in clinical nursing at Aksum University, Ethiopia in 2016 and completed master degree with the specialty of surgical Nursing at University of Gondar, Ethiopia in 2018. Currently she is working as a teacher and researcher at University of Gondar College of medicine and health sciences. She engaged in different community services and published several research articles in reputable journals. She also involved in research advisory for undergraduate and graduate students on their research works up on completion of their study.