Nurses` Knowledge about Universal Precautions in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Pediatric Teaching Hospitals in Baghdad City: Descriptive Study

Abstract

Infections acquired in the hospital are important causes of morbidity and mortality in high-risk neonates who receive intensive care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC developed a set of protocols and guidelines known as universal precautions (UPs) that apply to care of all patients in all healthcare settings, regardless of the suspected or confirmed presence of an infectious agent that may prevent and control infection transmission for neonates and health care workers. To assess the level of nurses` knowledge about universal precautions in the NICU, and find out some relations between nurses` knowledge and their demographic data. a descriptive study was conducted from 1 November 2010 to 1 April 2011. The sample consisted of all nurses who were working at the NICU of pediatric teaching hospitals in Baghdad city 35 nurses. A questionnaire was prepared based on the WHO and CDC guidelines on UPs and was pre-tested before finalization. Data has collected through the application of questionnaire and interview techniques. The results revealed that nurses` knowledge about general information, personnel protective equipment (PPE), soiled patient-care equipment, needles and other sharps, and patient placement (isolation) was good, while about hand hygiene, patient resuscitation, and respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette was accepted. Unfortunately their knowledge about recapping the used needles and wearing surgical mask >3 feet to prevent contamination was poor. In general, of the total sample, (71.4 %) has accepted level of knowledge while (28.6 %) has good knowledge regarding all aspect of universal precautions. most of the participants have accepted level of knowledge regarding all aspects of universal precautions. They have poor knowledge regarding recapping the used needles and regarding wear the surgical mask >3 feet to prevent droplet transmission. The study recommends that the nurses should be modifying and reinforcing their knowledge about universal precautions by continues educational programs and raises their awareness. Encourage transmission barriers use (hand hygiene, personal protective equipment), and especially the most important and simple procedures to reduce infection transmission “hand hygiene”.