Hanan Elzeblawy Hassan^1,, Rasha Nabil Malk², Asmaa Abouda Abdelhamed³, Amal Sarhan Eldesokey Genedy⁴

Background: Birth-infection is known to be a major cause of maternal perinatal morbidity and mortality. Globally, it has been reported that better care during birth and labor, and newborns' care, as well, immediately after birth can avert up to 1.49 million maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths. Infection Control is the most important field of concern in labor and delivery rooms. Aim: study the effect of an educational program on maternity nurses' knowledge and practices towards infection control in labor units according to standard infection control precautions. Subject & Methods: This study was conducted on 30 nurses worked in labor units of three hospitals in Fayoum city, Egypt. The method for data collection consists of а questionnaire based on standard infection control precautions. Checklists were used for 11 procedures to assess nurses' practices. Results: Nurses' knowledge and practices regarding infection control, according to standard infection control precautions, were poor. Statistically significant improvement in the maternity nurse's knowledge and practices after the implication of the program was found. The majority (87.0%) of nurses had expressed their satisfaction to participate with a high level of significant. Conclusion: Results indicate that prevention and control of infections aren't adequately applied in Fayoum hospitals. Therefore, after the program was implemented; all nurses reported higher scoring in both awareness and skills than before. The satisfactory score progressed while unsatisfactory one regressed. This is mirrored to the program's effect. Recommendations: Activate hospitals' infection control committees which should be combined with maternal death reviews, audits, training and feedback on infection rates in upper Egyptian Hospitals.

infection control, knowledge, practices, program management, labor units