1Department of Nursing Services, Ahmadu BelloUniversity Teaching Hospital Shika-Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria
2Department of Community Medicine, Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria
3University Health Services,Ahmadu Bello University Samaru Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria
4Department of Nursing Services, Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Niger State, Nigeria
World Journal of Preventive Medicine.
2015,
Vol. 3 No. 1, 1-6
DOI: 10.12691/jpm-3-1-1
Copyright © 2015 Science and Education PublishingCite this paper: Samaila Ayuba Balarabe, Istifanus Anekoson Joshua, Aliyu Danjuma, Mohammed Usman Dauda, Omoniyi Oluwafemi Sunday, Haruna Danlami Yusuf. Knowledge of Healthcare Workers on Nosocomial Infection in Selected Secondary Health Institutions in Zaria, Nigeria.
World Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2015; 3(1):1-6. doi: 10.12691/jpm-3-1-1.
Correspondence to: Samaila Ayuba Balarabe, Department of Nursing Services, Ahmadu BelloUniversity Teaching Hospital Shika-Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria. Email:
balarabeayubas@gmail.comAbstract
Background: Nosocomial infection is one of the leading causes of death and increased morbidity for hospitalized Patients. The study assessed the knowledge of healthcare workers on nosocomial infections in secondary health institutions in Zaria local government area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Materials andMethods: This study wasa cross-sectional descriptive survey carried out in October, 2010. One hundred and sixty(160) self-administered semi structured questionnaire was used for the studyand data analyzed using SPSS window 16.0 version. Results: The findings showed most of the respondents were within the age bracket of 20–29 years, mean age of 34 ± 12 years and age range of 20-60years. 62.2% were female and 66.9% were nurses by profession followed by pharmacist with 13.1%. The respondents mean working experience was10 ± 9 years. Majority (57.5%) of the respondents were aware of nosocomial infections as an infection that manifests after 48 hours of hospital admission. 76.9% (123) of the respondents were of the opinion that bacteria are the common cause of nosocomial infections. 38.8% of the respondents were of the opinion that contact transmission, airborne transmission. Vehicle transmission and vector transmission are the common routes of nosocomial infections. 46.9% of the respondents were of the opinion that the best ways to prevent nosocomial infections are strict aseptic technique, proper isolation and barrier nursing of infectious cases, regular nasal and throat swab investigations of health care workers and education of health workers on the prevention and control of the infection. Conclusion: The recommendations included emphasis on regular in-service training programme for staff, the practice of universal precaution and screening of hospital staff to identify those that are chronic nasal carriers of Staphylococcus aureus among others.
Keywords