Perceptions of Medical students toward nosocomial infections at college of medicine-Babylon

Abstract

Background: Health care Acquired Infections are a major cause of increasing morbidity and mortality around the world.

Nosocomial infection contracted during medical treatment is a huge problem in hospitals. Up to 5,000 patients die every year from nosocomial infections. Up to 30% are preventable through simple infection control procedures. Infections increase costs, waiting lists, and harm-wide.

The aims of this research are (1) to assess the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors   of medical students toward nosocomial infections.

(2) to explore the source of information from which the medical students received their knowledge during college's study   about nosocomial infections

Subject and Methods: it is a descriptive cross-sectional study, which carried on one hundred and six final year students using non random sampling technique, there is no inclusion or exclusion criteria. This study was done in Al- Hilla College of Medicine/ University of Babylon and conducted during the period from 1^st of January to 30^th of October 2013, by using questionnaire through direct interview.

Statistical analysis: Minitab version 18 software was used for data entry and analysis.

P value ? 0.05 considered as significant.

Results: The study showed that the overall average of the medical students' knowledge about HCAIs was (68.34%), however, the knowledge regarding specific areas was low, particularly concerning the risk of transmission of infection to the hospital personnel was(41.5%) and for the stethoscope was (43.86%) as a potential source of infections.

In general, their behaviors to reduce the risk of infections were (69.38%), whereas, (49.06%) of them wearing protective materials when contact with patient. Generally the attitudes of medical students were positive (68.68%).

Females had better attitudes than males (48.87%), (19.81%) concerning the perceived risk of acquiring a HAIs.

Advising information about some items of HCAIs was generally (50, 65%). About safety (IV) inserted devices (52.84%) and only (22.16 %) have acceptable advised about Stethoscope cleaning.

Conclusions and recommendations: this study concluded that the students have adequate knowledge, positive attitudes and acceptable behaviors to reduce nosocomial infections; however, advising information about some items of HCAIs was generally acceptable. These findings emphasize the need of stressing on education about this sort of infections in the health care curricula.

Key word: nosocomial infection, sixth year, perception.