Nurses´ self-perception regarding risk assessment in hospitalized adults
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29352/mill0222e.42754Keywords:
infection control; cross infection; risk assessment; nursing; perceptionAbstract
Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) have an impact on morbidity, mortality, and costs. Systematic risk assessment is essential to implement preventive measures.
Objective: To assess nurses’ self-perception regarding the assessment and control of infection risk in hospitalized adults and to analyse the relationship between this perception and sociodemographic and professional variables.
Methods: Quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive-correlational study with a sample of master’s students from a Portuguese Higher School of Health Sciences, nurses from a hospital in the Western region of Portugal, and nurses recruited through social media platforms. Data were collected using a questionnaire comprising a sociodemographic section and a Likert scale on infection prevention and control practices.
Results: The overall mean was 1.95 (SD = 0.466), indicating frequent integration of the items into practice. No significant differences were found between nurses with/without a specialty or specific training. Weak but significant correlations were identified between age/experience and specific items: days of antibiotic therapy (ρ = −0.294; p = 0.017), MRSA screening (age: ρ = 0.297; p = 0.026; experience: ρ = 0.308; p = 0.021), recognition of risk in reoperated patients (ρ = −0.270; p = 0.042), and antibiotic class (ρ = −0.314; p = 0.013).
Conclusion: Nurses value infection risk assessment and report practices aligned with recommendations, although with room for improvement. Training reinforcement and the use of observational methods are recommended to assess actual practice.
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