25Apr 2017

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PERCEIVED BARRIERS ON CARE OF PATIENTS WITH METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCCOCUS AUREUS (MRSA), AMONG STAFF NURSES AT A REGIONAL HOSPITAL, TRINIDAD.

  • Senior Lecturer, UWI School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of The West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.
  • Senior Lecturer, The College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago, South Campus, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago.
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Aim: To determine the staff nurses knowledge regarding MRSA infection control practices, and to determine the relationship between knowledge of staff nurses while adapting practices regarding MRSA infection control prevention and selected social demographic variables. Methods: A descriptive design utilizing survey method was used. A sample of 60 RNs, from a tertiary care hospital in South Trinidad were recruited using stratified sampling technique. A blue print showing the distribution of items (Pathogenesis, Predisposing and preventive factors), was prepared prior to the construction of self-administered knowledge questionnaire on MRSA ? 30 Items and adaptation Scale on MRSA ? 20 Items. Adaption Scale was designed to analyse the level of compliance of RNs practice to MRSA protocol. Data were analysed using SPSS Version 19. Results: Majority of the RNs (72.41%) scored on pathogenesis of MRSA (mean 6.52+1.65). 56.78% of RNs demonstrated knowledge on preventive factors of MRSA. However only 51.33% had knowledge on predisposing factors of MRSA. More than half (34) of the staff scored on the undecided section of the adaption scale whether nurses follow correct protocol for MRSA prevention. Most RNs agreed that they maintain proper hand hygiene. However within the Predisposing factors a large number of RNs (41) were unsure of maintaining hand hygiene, which was contradictory to responses regarding hand hygiene. A positive correlation was seen between knowledge scores of RNs and their place of work (p=0.001). RNs in surgical wards demonstrated better overall knowledge of MRSA, in comparison to RNs working in medical wards. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) between level of education and knowledge of MRSA among RNs was found to be significant at 2.432 (p=0.03). Conclusion: It was concluded that level of RNs knowledge on MRSA was inadequate, which translated into their non-adaptation of prevention protocol which has implications for ongoing continuous educational programs.

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[Esther S. Daniel and Ruhee Mir. (2017); KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PERCEIVED BARRIERS ON CARE OF PATIENTS WITH METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCCOCUS AUREUS (MRSA), AMONG STAFF NURSES AT A REGIONAL HOSPITAL, TRINIDAD. Int. J. of Adv. Res. 5 (Apr). 1183-1195] (ISSN 2320-5407). www.journalijar.com

Dr. Esther Shirley Daniel
The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago

DOI:

Article DOI: 10.21474/IJAR01/3932      
DOI URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/3932

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