Infection control: nurses' knowledge and practice of universal precaution in Delta State, Nigeria

Health personnel especially nurses are at high risk of various occupational acquisition of infections such as blood-borne infections, body fluids and contaminated medical equipment. Health personnel may transmit the acquired infections to clients, colleagues and other people they come in contact with. Infection control reduces the risk of transmission of infections among clients, clients to nurses or other health personnel and vice versa. Literature reveals that nurses' knowledge and attention to infection control in Primary Health Centres (PHC) in Nigeria is very limited. This study was therefore designed to assess the nurses' knowledge and practice of infection control in PHC in Delta State, Nigeria.

Cross-sectional design was utilised and target population were the nurses working in PHC in Delta State. Using Slovan's sampling formula; a sample size of 231 nurses was obtained from the randomly selected 17 out of the 25 local government areas in Delta State. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Items on knowledge have Yes/No responses while items on practice have Always, Sometimes, Not at all and not applicable responses. Data were analysed and hypothesis tested with Chi square test at significant level of p < 0.05.

Findings revealed that nurses in the study setting had good knowledge of infection control, but not fully reflected in the level of their practice of infection control. Majority of them knew that the following precautions could prevent infection: cleaning/covering of sores with waterproof plaster (96.1%), washing of hands with soap and water (97.8%), wearing of gloves (99.1) and disinfecting re-usable instruments (95.2%). In practice, the percentage was below average in the use of hand gloves (47.6%), disinfection of re-usable instrument (45.9%), use of face mask (17.7%), use of eyeshield (7.0%). There was relationship between the years of working experience and practice of infection control (p < 0.05).

This study reveals that the practice of universal precaution is not given much attention in the PHC and this may constitute health risk to the nurses and the patients in the study setting. It is essential that activities that will encourage the practice of infection control should be put in place in PHC to prevent transmission of infection.