Hanan Elzeblawy Hassan^1,, Mona Moawad Mohamed², Asmaa Salah Eldin Mohamed Saleh³, Amal Abelazyeem Mohamed³

Background: Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology emphasized on the use of aseptic technique during all aspects of parenteral medication administration, medication vial use, injections, and glucose monitoring procedures to patient stations in hemodialysis settings and the use of medication in a syringe for more than one patient even if the needle is changed between patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess hemodialysis nursing staffs' knowledge and preventive measures practices regarding elderly viral hepatitis C and Bat Beni-Suef hemodialysis units. 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: About 55.3% of the dialysis nurses have fair level of total knowledge about viral hepatitis B & C for elderly patients in the dialysis units, while 32.9% & 11.8% of had good and poor total knowledge, respectively. Moreover, 53% of the dialysis nurses have incompetent level regarding practices towards viral hepatitis B & C for the elderly patients in the dialysis units, while 47% of them have competent level of practices. There is highly significant positive correlation between dialysis nurses' knowledge and their practices towards viral hepatitis B & C for the elderly patients in the dialysis units (P=<0.01). Conclusion: There are statistically significant relation between dialysis nurses' knowledge and practices, as well, and their training program for improving nursing skills and participate in educational lectures before, their years of experience in nursing field, the opportunity to view the courses and medical journals and participate in scientific conferences for dialysis and kidney disease during the last 5 years. Recommendations: Modification of the ongoing training program regarding infection control to be more applied to hemodialysis units.

elderly, hemodialysis, nurses' knowledge, preventive measures