Current knowledge and attitudes of nurses: Technicians regarding hospital aquired infections

Abstract

Introduction: Intrahospital infections have a great impact on the mortality rate and morbidity of hospitalized patients. The importance of nosocomial infections makes it important for nurses to know and implement preventive measures during provision of nursing care. Objective: To analyze knowledge and attitudes of nurses about nosocomial infections. Material and methods: The research was conducted on a population of nurses and technicians employed at the General Hospital in Subotica. The sample included 44 participants. The research instrument was a questionnaire designed for the purposes of the research. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and hi-square test. Results: The definition of nosocomial infections was known to 68% of respondents, but only 50% of respondents knew that the hands of healthcare professionals were the most common way of spreading nosocomial infections. Basic preventive measures against nosocomial infections were familiar to 82% of respondents, and 95% of the respondents thought that nurses have important role in the control and prevention of nosocomial infections. Significantly more respondents who have more than 20 years of work experience thought that nurses do not have contribution in prevention and control of nosocomial infections (p=0.011). Conclusion: Most participants were familiar with the definition of nosocomial infections and basic preventive measures. It is necessary to improve the knowledge about the ways of spreading and the risks for the occurrence of nosocomial infections.