Knowledge and Performance of Nurses in Observing Standard Precautions: A Narrative Review

Today, transmission of infection to healthcare workers is a health challenge and is of great importance. Standard precautions are the basic principles of infection control by following the principles of hand hygiene, using personal protective equipment such as gloves, gowns, glasses, masks, safe disposal of sharp and cutting tools, performing safe injections and respiratory precautions, which are from direct contact with the pathogen. Pathogens with the patient or nurse reduce the risk of transmission of infection. This is a narrative review study. Searching in the databases of Farsi-language publications of academic jihad (SID), Magiran, and English-language PubMed, as well as in the Google Scholar search engine. The search period was from 2005 to 2024. Nine articles that were in accordance with the objective of this study were selected and analyzed. Based on the evaluation of nine articles based on the objectives of the study, the challenges of nurses in complying with standard precautions based on the relevance and similarity of concepts include: lack of resources required to comply with standard precautions, lack of proper efficiency of nurses while using equipment, insufficient knowledge regarding compliance Standard precautions, limited time, and multiple roles and responsibilities were outlined. Nurses all over the world are trying to minimize the risk of infection for their patients and themselves. Therefore, providing on-the-job training, maintaining organizational structure, and supporting staff to have a proper understanding of infection prevention activities should be considered to achieve good adherence to infection prevention protocols.