Abstract
Background: Infection prevention and control (IPC) has an important role to play in curbing threats in all health-related activities. Healthcare workers play a vital role in preventing healthcare associated infections. In fact, strict compliance by healthcare workers to infection prevention and control precautions, methods and strategies is vital to curb the spread of healthcare associated infections in hospitals. Hence, good knowledge, positive attitude and good practices on infection control by healthcare workers is crucial for an effective infection prevention and control programme. The purpose of this study is to determine the knowledge, attitude and practices on infection control among healthcare workers at the Windhoek Central Hospital in Namibia.
Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted at the Windhoek Central Hospital in Namibia. Non-probability convenience sampling was used to recruit 118 healthcare workers as study participants. A self-administered pre coded questionnaire with mostly close ended questions was used to collect data. Data collected was entered on a customised Excel spreadsheet before being exported to IBM SPSS 28. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS 28. Frequencies, tables, charts, graphs, means and percentages were used to summarise demographic data and outline level of knowledge and attitudes of participants relating to infection control. Continuous data in this research were summarised using; mean, range and variability.
Results: The majority, (90.7%), of participants correctly identified the importance of hand hygiene in infection control. Of the sampled participants, 85.5% correctly stated that infection prevention and control practices are meant to protect healthcare workers. Only 50%, felt that the IPC practices at the Windhoek Central Hospital are adequate and up to the recommended standards, while 22.9% felt that they were not adequate and 27.1% neither agreed nor disagreed. Notably, 23% of participants felt that they had not received enough training in infection control and prevention practices as health professionals while 19.5% of participants neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement that they had received enough training as students in infection prevention control practices. Also, 17.8% of participants said their responsibilities as healthcare workers affected their ability to apply infection prevention guidelines, while 11.9% of participants neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement. Seventy-point three percent (70.3%) of participants did not see their responsibilities as affecting their implementation of infection prevention guidelines. A considerable 55.9% of participants did not receive training in IPC when they started working at the Windhoek Central Hospital. In addition, 53.4% of participants did not receive any training on the proper selection and use of personal protective equipment. Significantly, 71.2% of participants
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did not receive any follow-up training in infection prevention and control at the Windhoek Central Hospital. Only 31.4% participants correctly stated that used needles should never be recapped. There was a positive correlation between believing that infection prevention and control guidelines should be always followed and washing hands before and after contact with patients, n= 117, r= 0.483, p=0.01.
Conclusion: The study established that while there is good knowledge and a positive attitude, poor practices on infection control exist at the Windhoek Central Hospital. The study showed the need to improve training in infection prevention and control practices.