Hanan Elzeblawy Hassan^1,, Asmaa Salah Eldin Mohamed Saleh², Amal Abelazyeem Mohamed², Mona Moawad Mohamed³

Background: HCV is present worldwide, varies among countries with a total of 170 million people infected, and constitutes 40% of patients of chronic liver disease. People who are on hemodialysis for long periods have higher chance of getting this infection. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess hemodialysis nursing staffs' knowledge regarding practices toward viral hepatitis B & C in dialysis unit. Design: A descriptive exploratory design was utilized in the current study. Setting: The study was carried out in two hemodialysis units at Beni-Suef University Hospital and Elwasta General Hospital in Beni-Suef Governorate. Subjects: A convenient sample of 76 hemodialysis nurses. Results: 10.5% of the dialysis nurses have fair level of total knowledge about viral hepatitis B & C for elderly patients in the dialysis units. Also, 85.5% of them have good level of total knowledge, while, 4% of them have poor level of total knowledge, 92.1% of the dialysis nurses have knowledge about infection control standards for dialysis patients. 71.4% of the dialysis nurses got knowledge about infection control standards for dialysis patients from scientific meeting, 20% from conferences, and 5.7% from book. Conclusion: there is statistically significant relationship between dialysis nurses' knowledge about infection control standards for dialysis patients and with their participation in scientific conferences for dialysis and kidney disease during the last 5 years, their total knowledge about viral hepatitis B & C, and their Participate in educational lectures before at (P=<0.05). Recommendations: Conducting standards educational program that emphasize on improving knowledge level regarding prevention of viral hepatitis transmission in HDUs in order to raise awareness and correct misconceptions.

viral hepatitis, nurses' knowledge, practices