Adherence to infection control precautions (ICP) is important to reduce the transmission of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
Aims:
To determine nurses and physician’s knowledge, attitude and compliance to ICPs and factors associated with reported compliance.
Methods:
A cross-sectional survey of nurses and physicians recruited from three hospitals at three different healthcare sectors in Jordan. Three instruments were used to assess knowledge, attitudes and compliance to ICPs.
Findings:
A total of 211 professionals completed the survey: 155 nurses and 56 physicians. Both groups had low knowledge scores for ICP but a high positive attitude. Although both groups had high reported compliance scores, nurses scores were higher (P = 0.04). Participants from the private hospital had higher knowledge and compliance scores. Length of experience, knowledge and attitude were significant predictors of reported compliance to ICPs.
Discussion:
Despite poor knowledge, Jordanian healthcare professionals reported high scores for positive attitudes and compliance with IPCs. Clinical training programmes are required to enhance knowledge and understanding of IPCs.
AboelelaWStonePLarsonL. (2007) The effectiveness of bundled behavioral interventions to reduce healthcare associated infections: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of Hospital Infection66: 101–108.
2.
Al-HussamiMODarawadMWAlmhairatI. (2011) Predictors of compliance hand hygiene practice among healthcare professionals. Healthcare Infection16: 79–84.
3.
AskarianMShiralyRMcLawsL. (2005) Knowledge, attitude, and practice of contact precautions among Iranian nurseAmerican Journal of Infection Control33: 486–488.
4.
BoyceJMPittetD; Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee; HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. (2002) Guideline for hand hygiene in healthcare settings: Recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America/Association for Professionals in Infection Control/Infectious Diseases Society of America. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report51: 1–48.
5.
ChanMHoADayMC. (2007) Investigating the knowledge, attitudes and practice patterns of operating room staff towards standard and transmission based precautions: results of a cluster analysis. Journal of Clinical Nursing17: 1051–1062.
6.
ChanRMolassiotisAChanEChanVHoBLaiCYLamPShitFYiuI. (2002) Nurses’ knowledge of and compliance with universal precautions in an acute care hospital. International Journal of Nursing Studies39: 157–163.
7.
DarawadMWAl-HussamiM. (2013) Jordanian nursing students’ knowledge of, attitudes towards, and compliance with infection control precautionsNurse Education Today33: 580–583.
8.
DarawadMWAl-HussamiMAlmhairatIAl-SutariM. (2012) Investigating Jordanian nurses’ handwashing beliefs, attitudes, and compliance. American Journal of Infection Control40: 643–647.
9.
DefezCFabbro-PerayPCazabanMBoudemagheTSottoADauresJP. (2008) Additional direct medical costs of nosocomial infections: estimation from a cohort of patients in a French university hospital. Journal of Hospital Infection68: 130–136.
10.
GammonJMorgan-SamualHGouldD. (2008) A review of the evidence for suboptimal compliance of healthcare practitioners to standard/universal infection control precautions. Journal of Clinical Nursing17: 157–167.
11.
GershonRVlahovDFelknorSVesleyDJohnsonPCDelclosGLMurphyLR. (1995) Compliance with universal precautions among health care workers at three regional hospitals. American Journal of Infection Control4: 225–236.
12.
LiataEGaynesPFridkinS. (2009) Measuring the scope and magnitude of hospital-associated infection in the United States: the value of prevalence surveys. Clinical Infectious Diseases48: 1434–1440.
13.
LipsettASwobodaM. (2001) Hand washing compliance depends on professional status. Surgical Infections2: 241–245.
14.
MukwatoKNgomaMMaimbowlaM. (2009) Compliance with infection prevention guidelines by health care workers at Ronald Ross General Hospital Mufulira District. Medical Journal of Zambia35: 110–116.
15.
NobileAMontuoriPDiacoEVillariP. (2002) Healthcare personnel and hand decontamination in intensive care units: Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour in Italy. Journal of Hospital Infection51: 226–232.
16.
OsborneS. (2003) Influences on compliance with standard precautions among operating room nurses. American Journal of Infection Control31: 415–423.
17.
PaudyalPSimkhadaPBruceJ. (2008) Infection control knowledge, attitude, and practice among Nepalese health care workers. American Journal of Infection Control36: 595–597.
18.
PittetD. (2001) Improving adherence to hand hygiene practice: A multidisciplinary approach. Emerging Infectious Diseases7: 234–240.
19.
PittetDDonaldsonL. (2006) Challenging the world: patient safety and health care-associated infection. International Journal for Quality in Health Care18: 4–8.
20.
PolitDFBeckCT. (2008). Nursing Research: Generating and Assessing Evidence for Nursing Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer/ Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
21.
SiegelJDRhinehartEJacksonMChiarelloL and Health Care Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. (2007) Guideline for isolation precautions: preventing transmission of infectious agents in health care settings. American Journal of Infection Control35: S65–S164.
22.
SuchitraJLakshmiN. (2007) Impact of education on knowledge, attitudes and practices among various categories of health care workers on nosocomial infections. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology25: 181–187.
23.
TimilshinaNAnsariMDayalV. (2011) Risk of infection among primary health workers in the Western Development Region, Nepal: knowledge and compliance. Journal of Infection in Developing Countries5: 18–22.
24.
VazKMcGrowderDAlexander-LindoRGordonLBrownPIrvingR. (2010) Knowledge, awareness and compliance with universal precautions among healthcare workers at the University of West Indies, Jamaica. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine1: 171–181.
