Abstract
Background: Nosocomial infections, also known as hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), are infections that develop in patients during hospitalization and usually appear after 48 hours of admission. These infections significantly increase morbidity, mortality, hospital stay, and healthcare costs. Nurses play a vital role in preventing these infections because they are in continuous contact with patients. Adequate knowledge of infection control practices such as hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), sterilization, and environmental hygiene is essential to reduce the occurrence of nosocomial infections.
Objective: This study was to assess the knowledge regarding nosocomial infections among staff nurses.
Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among staff nurses working in different hospital departments including wards, intensive care units, and operation theaters. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. A non-probability sampling technique was used to select participants. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 20, and descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were calculated.
Results: The results showed that the majority of nurses had good knowledge regarding nosocomial infections. Most participants correctly identified nosocomial infection as hospital-acquired infection (99%) and recognized that these infections develop after 48 hours of admission (99%). A high proportion of nurses were aware that urinary tract infection is the most common type of nosocomial infection (91%), and that hand hygiene is the most effective preventive measure (98%). However, a notable gap was observed in understanding the importance of infection control knowledge for professional responsibility and self-protection, where only 35% of participants agreed.
Conclusion: The study concludes that staff nurses generally possess adequate knowledge regarding nosocomial infections and their prevention. However, gaps still exist in areas related to professional responsibility and infection control practices. Continuous training programs and educational interventions are recommended to improve nurses’ knowledge and strengthen infection prevention practices.