Nurses’ Knowledge versus their Performance Regarding Infection Control Measure for Children at Burn Unit

Abstract

Nosocomial infections are one of the most common complications affecting hospitalized burnt children and contribute to excess morbidity and mortality. Nurse’s knowledge and skills that the nurses acquired enable them to translate it into a positive attitude and good performance in preventing and controlling infection. Aim: the aim of study was to assess nurses’ knowledge versus their performance regarding infection control measure for children at burn unit. Research design: A descriptive correlational research design was utilized. Settings: The study was conducted at two burn units in El Menoufia governorate; Ashmoon hospital and Shipeen El-Kome teaching hospital, are affiliated to Ministry of Health. Subject: A purposive sample of thirty nurses as the previous mentioned setting who were responsible for providing direct care for children in burn units regardless to age, educational level and year of experience. Data collection: two tools were used observation checklists to assess nurses' performance and questionnaire sheet to assess nurses' knowledge regarding infection control measure. Results: revealed that nurses performance not based on knowledge for the items of hand washing, instruments / equipment processing and environmental cleaning and disinfection while studied nurses performance was based on knowledge for the items of personal protective equipment, safe injection, cough etiquette, safe waste disposal, linen handling and wound care and there was a statistically significant relation between nurses knowledge and education level, years of experiences and attendance the training course. Conclusion: nurses' performance not at the acceptable standard for caring of children at burn unit, most of nurses’ performance not based on their knowledge regarding infection control measures, there was a statistically significant relation between total level of knowledge of the studied nurses and their educational qualification, years of experience and attending courses related to burn but there was a statistically significant relation between total level of performance of nurses and their age, educational qualification and years of experience. Recommendation: the study recommended that enhancement nurses' knowledge and performance periodically regarding standard infection control in burn unit through implementation of in-service education training program and continuing education for nurses.