Nurses’ knowledge, attitude and practice regarding infection control at neonatal departments in Benghazi public hospitals

Abstract

The acquisition and transmission of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) can have a direct impact on the prognosis of neonates, the effectiveness of treatment, and posing significant challenges to clinical care. As nurses have direct contact with neonates, their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) are critical for the prevention and control of infection in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The purpose of this study was to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice of infection control among nurses in neonatal departments in Benghazi public hospitals. A cross-sectional study was conducted between June and December 2021. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect data from 61 neonatal nurses. The collected data were reviewed, coded, and transferred to SPSS version 23 for analysis. The study found that about 55.7% of nurses had satisfactory knowledge. Nurses with bachelor's degrees had higher knowledge scores, were more likely to know the risks of acquiring HCV and HIV, and also showed good attitudes. In terms of practice, nurses with intermediate diplomas showed good practice, but no significant differences were found between the three groups (P = 0.5). Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the nurses in the current study have a good practice level and a positive attitude regarding infection control. However, their overall knowledge didn’t reach a satisfactory level.