The effect of training on hospital infection and isolation methods given to support services staff working in the hospital on the knowledge level and practice skills of the staff

Aims: This study aims to assess knowledge levels and practice skills of the cleaning staff, working under the Support Services Directorate of Akdeniz University Hospital, concerning hospital-acquired infections and isolation methods and to evaluate their level of knowledge and behavioral change after the training. Method: The study was conducted with parallel controlled randomized experimental design. 72 cleaning staff members working in the clinical floors participated in the study. Their attitudes and behaviors were observed before and after the training. The change in their knowledge level was assessed with the pretest, posttest and follow-up tests. Findings: It was found that 94.4% of the participants were female and 75% were primary school graduates. 97.2% of them previously received training on hospital-acquired infections and isolation methods. The attitude level mean scores of the groups before the training were similar. After the training, the attitude level mean score of the intervention group was positively affected (p=0.01). The knowledge level mean scores of the intervention group about hospital-acquired infections and isolation methods were 30.39 in the pretest, 36.28 in the posttest, and 36.17 in the follow-up test one month after the training. These scores of the control group were 30.19 in the pretest and 31.97 in the follow-up test. Conclusion: It is thought that the training given to the staff of the support services directorate on hospital-acquired infections and isolation methods had a positive effect. Cleaning staff working under the support services directorate should be given in-service training periodically before and after starting work. In-service training should cover hospital infection and transmission routes, hand hygiene and isolation methods. Effective participation of all personnel in this training should be ensured. A cleaning checklist should be prepared for the properties of the application areas. Keywords: hospital-acquired infection, isolation methods, training, support services staff