Effectiveness of Education Program on Nursing Staff Knowledge toward Infection Control Measures at Hemodialysis Unit in Al-Dewaniya Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Infection is the first reason of hospitalization and is considered the second highest death rate after cardiovascular disease among hemodialysis (HD) patients. Hemodialysis patients and staff are at risk for getting blood-borne infections such as hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Nursing staff compliance with infection control procedures will reduce transmission of infection, so standard precautions must be strictly adhered in the hemodialysis facility. A pre-experimental design (one group design: pre-test and post-test) was used. This study was conducted at hemodialysis unit on a non-probability (purposive) sample consisting of (26 nurses) working in Al-Diwaniya Teaching Hospital.The study finding shows, that all the study sample responses at the pre-test were fair knowledge with a statistical mean of scores (1.40). Other than the post-test, shows (100%) of the study sample have good knowledge at the mean of scores (1.85). Also, the results revealed a highly significant difference between the pre-test and post-test of the study sample after participated in the educational program at the (p-value=0.0001).The study recommended the necessity of updating nurses' knowledge by encouraging and motivating them to participate in special training programs and conferences on infection control measures, in addition to intensifying the work of the continuing nursing education unit to give educational courses focusing on infection control measures for the nursing staff in the hemodialysis units.