KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF QUALITY ASSURANCE AMONG NURSES WORKING IN MADONNA UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, ELELE, RIVERS STATE

Nurses, as frontline healthcare providers, play a significant role in delivering quality care. However, the level of knowledge and the extent to which nurses practice quality assurance is due to the lack of ongoing education and training for nurses in this setting to enhance their knowledge of quality assurance principles and practices. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of quality assurance among nurses working in Madonna University Teaching Hospital, Elele, Rivers State. To achieve the purpose of the study, three objectives and research questions were formulated. The cross-sectional research design was adopted for the study. The study population comprised of nurses working in Madonna University Teaching Hospital. Sample size of 80 was used for the distribution of questionnaire. Descriptive statistics of frequency distribution and percentage scores were used to analyze the data. From the findings, majority of the nurses agreed that they are familiar with the principles of quality assurance in healthcare (53.3%), that they understand the importance of quality assurance in improving patient safety (60%). On the current practices, (53.3%) regularly participate in audits or quality improvement activities in practice, (58.7%) document patient care accurately and comprehensively following quality assurance standards, and (56%) engage in continuous learning and professional development related to quality assurance. Results revealed the barriers to include limited time and heavy workload (53.3%), lack of necessary resources and support to implement quality assurance measures (40%), resistance from colleagues or superiors (40%), and organizational policies and procedures (53.3%).The study concluded that although nurses demonstrated a good understanding of quality assurance principles and engaged in positive practices, barriers hindered the full implementation of quality assurance measures. The study recommended promoting a supportive organizational culture, clear guidelines, and interprofessional collaboration are crucial for enhancing the implementation of quality assurance in nursing practice.