To study the awareness about universal health precautions among nursing professionals in a medical college hospital of India

Abstract

Background: The universal health-care precautions (UHP) aim at preventing health-care workers contact with blood and other body fluids by performing various infection control practices such as handwashing, wearing gloves and mask, safe disposal of infectious waste, and safe cleansing of used instruments. Objective: The study was conducted to assess the knowledge and awareness among nursing professionals regarding UHPs. Methodology: It was a cross-sectional study done on nursing professionals across all seniority and from various specialties including superspecialties. A pretested questionnaire consisting of 25 questions was used as a study tool. Results: There were a total of 550 respondents. The mean knowledge score of the respondents was 17.31 (range: 6–24). The mean score was 69.25% of the total achievable score. In the subgroup analysis, respondents above 60 years of age, married, females, urban residents, and nursing sisters scored better than the middle-aged professionals, unmarried, males, rural residents, and staff nurses. Conclusion: The study concludes important clues for further research and interventions. As the nursing professionals are learning about UHP from practical exposure rather than formal teaching, it is pertinent to address this issue through well-planned formal sessions of training workshops and lecture discussions.

Keywords

• health-care worker
• hospital-acquired infection
• knowledge
• nursing professionals
• personal protective equipment kit
• universal health-care precautions