TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT……………................................................................................................................ i
COPYRIGHT................................................................................................................................ ii
DECLARATION..........................................................................................................................iii
AUTHORIZATION..................................................................................................................... iv
DEDICATION............................................................................................................................... v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT........................................................................................................... vi
LIST OF FIGURES AND LIST OF TABLES........................................................................... x
LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... x
LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ x
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................... xi
OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS ............................................................................................. xii
CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................... 1
1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background of the study ....................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Problem statement................................................................................................................. 4
1.3 Purpose of the study:............................................................................................................. 5
1.4 Specific Objectives................................................................................................................ 5
1.5 Research Questions............................................................................................................... 5
1.6 Study justification ................................................................................................................. 6
1.6.1 Nursing practice ................................................................................................................. 6
1.6.2 Nursing management.......................................................................................................... 6
1.6.3 Nursing research................................................................................................................. 6
1.6.4 Nursing Education.............................................................................................................. 6
CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................... 7
LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................ 7
viii
2.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Knowledge of health workers about infection control.......................................................... 7
2.3 Infection control Practices among Health Workers .............................................................. 9
CHAPTER THREE.................................................................................................................... 12
METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................... 12
3.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 12
3.1 Study design and rationale .................................................................................................. 12
3.2. Study Area.......................................................................................................................... 12
3.3 Study population ................................................................................................................. 12
3.4.1 Sample size determination ............................................................................................... 13
3.4.3 Inclusion criteria............................................................................................................... 14
3.4.4 Exclusion criteria.............................................................................................................. 14
3.5 Definition of variables......................................................................................................... 14
3.6 Research instruments........................................................................................................... 15
3.7.1 Data collection procedures............................................................................................... 15
3.7.2 Data management............................................................................................................. 15
3.7.3 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................... 15
3.8 Ethical consideration........................................................................................................... 16
3.9 Limitations for the study ..................................................................................................... 16
3.10 Dissemination of results.................................................................................................... 16
CHAPTER FOUR....................................................................................................................... 17
INTERPRETATION AND PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS............................................. 17
4.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 17
4.2 Knowledge about infection prevention practices................................................................ 18
4.3 Infection control practices in use among health workers.................................................... 19
4.5 Limitations to successful infection control practices.......................................................... 22
CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................ 23
DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS....................................... 23
5.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 23
ix
5.1 Discussion ........................................................................................................................... 23
5.1.1 Demographic characteristics of the respondents.............................................................. 23
5.1.2 Knowledge about infection prevention practices............................................................. 24
5.1.3 Practice about infection prevention practices................................................................... 24
5.2 Conclusions......................................................................................................................... 25
5.2.1 Demographics characteristics........................................................................................... 25
5.2.2 Infection prevention practices.......................................................................................... 25
5.2.3 Infection prevention practices.......................................................................................... 25
5.2.4 Challenges to standard infection prevention practices..................................................... 26
5.3 Recommendations............................................................................................................... 26
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................ 27
APPENDIX I: CONSENT FORM ............................................................................................ 30
APPENDIX II: QUESTIONNAIRE ......................................................................................... 31
APPENDIX III: MAP OF UGANDA SHOWING BUSHENYI DISTRICT ........................ 36
APPENDIX IV: MAP OF BUSHENYI DISTRICT ................................................................ 37
Abstract Background: Compliance on the part of healthcare workers with standard precautions has been recognized as being an efficient means to prevent and control healthcare-associated infections. Such measures not only protect the patient, but also the HCWs and environment. Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude and practice towards infection control measures among health workers at St. Daniel’s Comboni hospital. Methods: The study was conducted at St. Daniel’s Comboni General Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia. Cross-sectional study design was employed. All HCWs (49) were included in the study but only 36 filled the questionnaires. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. Data was analysed using Microsoft excel. Results: Demographically, most health works were relatively young and inexperienced with experience of less than 5 years in the field, while very few had had in-service training on infection prevention control. Most of the health workers had fair knowledge about infection prevention only that actual practice was far from impressive. The main reported challenges to infection prevention in St. Daniel’s Comboni hospital were lack of guidelines on standard infection practices the facility and limited awareness about standard among the hospital staff. Conclusion/recommendation: Majority of health care workers’ knowledge, and practice toward standard precaution were not sufficient, favorable and safe enough to the expected standard. Strengthening and integrating universal precaution with routine services through provision of training and introducing health care workers infection prevention standard of practice, protocol, rules, and regulation are recommended.