[Understanding level on tuberculosis among hospital nurses]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Control
• Nursing Education

Context:

• Tuberculosis control in urban settings necessitates preventing treatment defaults and the rise of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).
• A continuous case management system, from hospitalization to final cure, requires seamless collaboration between hospital and public health nurses.
• Consistent understanding of tuberculosis control strategies among all nursing professionals is essential for effective implementation.

Purpose:

• To assess the level of interest and recognition hospital nurses possess regarding tuberculosis control.
• To identify potential gaps in understanding or collaboration between hospital-based and community-based nursing professionals in TB management.

Summary:

• The study surveyed nurses, finding that 60% of tuberculosis ward nurses were over forty and had over ten years of experience.
• Nurses in specialized tuberculosis hospitals demonstrated a significantly higher understanding of tuberculosis compared to those in general hospitals.
• Despite higher understanding in TB wards, a collaborative system between hospitals and public health centers is vital for enhancing TB case management.

Impact:

• Highlights the need for enhanced inter-professional collaboration to improve tuberculosis treatment success rates.
• Informs the development of targeted training programs to bridge knowledge gaps and foster consistent approaches to TB control.
• Emphasizes the importance of integrating hospital and public health nursing efforts for comprehensive tuberculosis patient care and outcomes.