Controlling Nosocomial Infection Through Clinical Staff Education —– A Kap Survey

Abstract

Background: With the growing incidence of multi-drug resistant organisms, Infection Control programs in hospitals need to be more vigilant regarding staff practices and targeted training should be provided to ensure clinical staff is aware of their role in breaking the chain of infection. The objective of this study was to identify gaps in the knowledge, attitude and practices of clinical staff with regard to infection control protocols, in order to develop comprehensive training programs for the implementation of these protocols in routine duties. Methods: A descriptive, cross sectional study was conducted on 246 clinical staff in a tertiary-care teaching hospital, through a structured questionnaire developed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of clinical staff. Statistical analysis was performed through SPSS(Ver. 20.0) Results: A staff of 246 participated in the survey (151 nurses, 72 doctors and 23 paramedical staff). Respondents considered bed sores, respiratory and urinary tract infections as common hospital acquired infections, but only 14% included sepsis and infected venous access in this category. 219 (89%) staff acknowledged receiving Infection Control training and 167 (68%) staff always performed hand hygiene but 69 of 246 participants (28%) did not consider recapping to be a risk factor for infections and145 (59%) were unaware of vaccination schedules. Conclusion: Results show that clinical staff has basic knowledge of transmission routes and personal protective equipment, but concepts are not clear regarding vaccination schedules and post-exposure prophylaxis. Additionally, compliance with Infection Control guidelines should be monitored through audits for further enforcement. Key Words: infection control, surveys, education