Evaluation of an educational Program on nurses’ knowledge and practice regarding Standard precautions of infection control measures in outpatients clinics

Background: Outpatient care is usually the first level of contact of individuals with the national health system for general health problems or preventive medicine. The study aims to assess nurses’ knowledge regarding standard precautions of infection control as well as their practice regarding infection control measures in outpatient setting. In addition to evaluate the effect of an educational program regarding infection control measures on nurses’ knowledge and practice. Methods: Design: quasi experimental study design was done. Instruments: three tools were used in this study and it include questionnaire to assess nurses’ knowledge regarding infection control, observational checklists was used to assess nurses’ practice regarding infection control in outpatient setting and booklet cover knowledge and practice was done regarding infection control in outpatient setting. Results: This study showed significant improvement in nurses’ knowledge and practice regarding infection control in outpatient clinics in post and follow up assessment with p value of 0.001, 0.001 respectively. However there was only significant relationship between improve nurses knowledge and their experience P= 0.02. Additionally, there was a significant relationship between improved nurses practice and their training courses P= 0.001. Conclusion: This study concluded that nurses’ knowledge and practice increased significantly after conducting the educational program about infection control measures. Therefore, continuous education could be effective in improve nurses knowledge and practice regarding infection control measures. However, longitudinal study is needed to assess the impact of applying infection control measures on spread of infection in outpatient health care setting through assessing incidence rate of wound infection and other infection indicators.