Results
Title

Knowledge about standard precautions among university hospital nurses in the United Arab Emirates.

Authors

Sreedharan, J.; Muttappillymyalil, J.; Venkatramana, M.

Abstract

Standard/universal precautions reduce the risk of transmission of bloodborne infections among patients and health care workers. This study was conducted to assess the awareness and knowledge of standard precautions among nurses in a university teaching hospital in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. All nurses working in the hospital were given a structured, self-administered, anonymous questionnaire: 101 nurses participated (range of experience from < 1 to 22 years). Overall 97.0% of respondents were familiar with the concept of standard precautions. Of these 61.2% believed that the blood and body fluids of all patients are potentially infectious irrespective of their diagnostic status, while 27.6% thought only diagnosed patients and 11.2% only suspected cases are potentially infectious. Less than half agreed that standard precautions aimed to protect both health care workers as well as patients (45.9%). The study highlights a need to implement a programme to improve knowledge on standard precautions.

Subjects

UNITED Arab Emirates; ENVIRONMENTAL exposure prevention; ACADEMIC medical centers; ANALYSIS of variance; CHI-squared test; CLINICAL competence; PREVENTION of communicable diseases; COMPUTER software; HOSPITAL personnel; NURSES; MEDICAL personnel; OCCUPATIONAL hazards; DATA analysis; CROSS-sectional method; SAFETY

Publication

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 2011, Vol 17, Issue 4, p331

ISSN

1020-3397

Publication type

Academic Journal

DOI

10.26719/2011.17.4.331