Determination of nurses' knowledge levels on preventing hospital infections: The hospital example

Determination of Nurses' Knowledge Levels on Preventing Hospital Infections: The Hospital Example. Balıkçıoğlu D.Ü. Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Health Sciences Institute, Hospital Infection Control Program, Master Thesis, Aydın, 2025. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate nurses' knowledge levels regarding the prevention of hospital-acquired infections and to determine whether these levels differ across specific knowledge domains and various demographic or professional variables. Material and Method: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was designed to assess the knowledge levels of nurses concerning hospital infection prevention. The sample consisted of 108 nurses working at Aydın Adnan Menderes University Research and Training Hospital who had been actively employed for at least six months and volunteered to participate. Data were collected between October and December 2024. Ethical approval was granted on 13 September 2024 under protocol number 2024/029. Data were gathered using a two-part questionnaire developed through literature review and expert consultation. The first part included socio-demographic and professional information, while the second part consisted of 47 closed-ended items evaluating knowledge about infection control. These items were grouped into six knowledge domains and scored based on correct responses. A score of 60% or above was considered to reflect a ―sufficient‖ level of knowledge. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and Spearman correlation analysis were used. A significance level of p<0.05 was accepted. Results: Findings indicated that nurses generally had a high level of knowledge, with the highest scores observed in the domain of hand hygiene and personal protective equipment use. Conversely, the lowest scores were recorded in the domain of urinary tract infection prevention. Statistical analyses revealed that variables such as gender, education level, unit of employment, and training history showed significant associations with knowledge levels in certain domains (p<0.05). Notably, knowledge levels related to respiratory tract infections, peripheral venous catheter infections, and surgical site infections varied significantly according to specific variables. Conclusion: In conclusion, while nurses demonstrated a generally high level of awareness regarding infection control, deficiencies were identified in certain specific knowledge viii domains. Therefore, it is recommended that infection control training programs be restructured with practical components and tailored to the needs of each knowledge area. Keywords: Cross Infection, Health Knowledge, Nurses.