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Knowledge And Perception Of Nosocomial Infection Among Health Workers And Resident
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It has as well been reported that transmission
frequently occurs during the performance of medical procedures, when
these healthcare workers fail to follow aseptic precautions. Thus,
noncompliance with recommended guidelines by healthcare workers expose
patients to an abundance of pathogens (Monarca et aI., 2000; Boyce et
aI., 2002; Cohen et aI., 2003; Harrel et aI., 2004; Pittet et aI., 2004;
Miner et aI., 2004; Szymanska, 2004; de Oliveira et aI., 2005; Lam et
aI., 2004; Kurita et aI., 2006; Rautemaa et aI., 2006; Racco et aI.,
2009; Eriksen et aI., 2009 &Costello et aI.,2010).
A study
conducted by Casewell and Philips (1977) demonstrated that nurses could
contaminate their hands with colonies of bacteria during clean patient
care activities such as lifting patients, taking pulse, blood pressure,
oral temperature or touching patients’ hands, shoulder or groin
(Casewell and Phillips, 1977). Stone (2001) documented that patient
contacts result in 18
contamination of hands by pathogens and that washing hands significantly reduces hand
contamination
and infection rates (Mortimer et al., 1966; Stone, 2001). In a
controlled trial study at a neonatal unit, Mortimer and colleagues
(1966) found only 10 %acquisition rate of Staphylococcus aureus by
babies where nurses washed their hands between patient contacts; and a
14% acquisition rate of the same pathogen by babies during the first 20
days when the nurses
washed their hands between patient contacts. The rate increased to 43% when the nurses
washed
their hands only when they felt that the practice was clinically
indicated (Mortimer et aI., 1966). These findings affirmed the ease with
which healthcare workers could transmit
microorganisms and consequently, the spread of nosocomial infections.
Price (1938) and Lepelletier et al. (2005) observed that transient bacteria that colonize the
superficial layers of the skin are easily acquired by healthcare workers during direct contact with
patients
or contaminated environmental surfaces (Price, 1938 &Lepelletier et
aI., 2005). likewise, McBryde et al. (2004) and Michalopoulos et al.
(2006), recognized that healthcare workers contaminate their hands or
gloves with various pathogens, including resistant strains. While
performing procedures that involve touching hospitalized patients’
intact skin or their immediate environment. Exclusively, 17% of
transmission of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) to the
healthcare workers’ gloves occurred after get in touch with patients,
patients’ clothing or patients’ bed (McBryde et aI., 2004). additional
studies that investigated the modes of transmission of nosocomial
infections in neonatal intensive care units showed that each
hospitalized neonate or its immediate environment was touched 78 times
during a 12-hour shift.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) continue to be a threat to hospital admissions and workers thus contributing to mortalities and morbidities. Sophistication and type of services given by health facilities may determine health worker’s attitude towards combating these infections. The objective of this study is to compare knowledge, attitude and practice of HAIs among health workers at the three levels of health care in Nigeria, particularly the primary level that has to do with the resi ... Continue reading---
