Bilkis Adeleye
General Hospital, Nigeria
Title: Evaluating the knowledge of standard precautions among perioperative nurses in two tertiary hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria
Biography
Biography: Bilkis Adeleye
Abstract
Standard precautions are generally adopted to avert and/or reduce the risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens among patients and healthcare workers. This aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of standard precautions among perioperative nurses in two tertiary hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria.
Eighty nurses (91% females, 34% between 31 – 40 years) participated in the study. The nurses were required to complete a 21-item self-administered questionnaire. Chi-square statistics was used to test the association between participants’ knowledge of standard precautions and their qualifications, and years of professional working experience. Data were analyzed using SPSS.
The participants’ knowledge of standard precautions was above average (55%). Nurses with a bachelor degree (BNSc) in addition to diploma qualifications [Registered Nursing (RN), Registered Midwifery (RM) and Registered Perioperative Nursing (RPON)] have better knowledge of standard precautions (100% vs. 39%, P < 0.001). Although nurses with RN, RM and RPON qualifications only have better knowledge of the frequency of handwashing in an injection procedure (78% vs. 61.9%), this difference was not statistically significant (P < 0.162). No statistically significant difference was observed between participants’ knowledge of standard precautions and their years of professional working experience (P = 0.662). This study suggests that a bachelor degree qualification may provide nurses with additional knowledge and skills required for safe professional practice. Programs to improve knowledge on standard precautions will be beneficial to all perioperative nurses irrespective of their qualification or experience.