Knowledge about infection control measures among nurses at Hawler Teaching Hospital in Erbil city

Ronak N. H

doi:10.15218/zjms.2016.0020

Authors

Ronak N. H * Department of Nursing, College of Nursing, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2016.0020

Keywords:

Nurses' knowledge, Infection control, Universal precautions

Abstract

Background and objective: A lack of knowledge regarding infection control measures among health care workers decreases compliance with these practices. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of infection control measures among nurses in Hawler Teaching Hospital.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 15^th, 2013 to February 10^th, 2014 on a non-probability purposive sample of 50 nurses. Data were collected by self report by nurses that work in some critical care wards (dialysis unit, surgical and neurosurgery) in Hawler Teaching Hospital. The questionnaire included two parts. Part one was related to the nurses’ sociodemographic characteristics, which contained six items of age, gender, educational level, years of experience, attending training and place of work. Part two was related to nurses’ knowledge on standard precautions measures.

Results: There was positive correlation between nurses’ knowledge on infection control measures and their educational level, years of experience and attending training. About 54% of nurses had good knowledge on infection control measures and 46% of them had fair knowledge. Mean knowledge about infection control measures of nurses was 68%.

Conclusion: The infection control knowledge among the nurses was fairly good in this study. Older age was an important determinant of lower level of knowledge.

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