MEASURES UTILIZED BY NURSES IN PREVENTION OF NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION IN MEDICAL WARDS OF UNIVERSITY OF PORTHARCOURT TEACHING HOSPITAL

Nosocomial infection also known as Hospital Acquired Infection (HAI) is defined as an infection occurring in a patient during the process of care within a health facility which was not present or incubating at the time of admission. The aim of the study is to assess the measures utilized by nurses for prevention of nosocomial infection in the medical wards of the University of Portharcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State. A quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive study was utilized to determine the measures utilized for prevention of nosocomial infection among nurses within the medical wards of University of Portharcourt Teaching Hospital. The study was carried out among nurses in the various medical wards of University of Portharcourt Teaching Hospital. The total population as at the time of conducting the survey was 134 nurses. Stratified sampling technique was used. Data obtained was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and the result presented in tables. The result of the study showed that Nurses in University of Portharcourt Teaching Hospital have a high level of knowledge towards Nosocomial Infections. It also illustrates that the respondents utilizes good measures for the prevention of nosocomial infections, however some factors influences the nurses from utilizing the preventive measures towards Nosocomial Infections. This implies that the occurrence of Nosocomial Infections in the hospital may not be due to poor knowledge of the nurses towards Nosocomial Infection but, rather on improper and deliberate negligence in measures utilized for the prevention and also some various factors affecting the utilization of proper preventive measures. The result from the inferential statistics indicated that there is a significant difference in adherence to infection prevention practices between nurses who have access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and those who do not. Based on the findings of this study, nurses need to be compliant with infection prevention and control strategies and this will help keep them safe and those they attend to safe, they should be encourage to attend seminars, workshops and educational programs bothering on infection prevention and control to improve their knowledge about infection prevention and control and also nurses should be encourage and educated to maintain a positive attitude towards infection prevention and control and take it as a priority.