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Prevention of Nosocomial Infection and Standard Precautions: Knowledge and Source of Information Among Healthcare Students

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Marie-Pierre Tavolacci ,
Joël Ladner ,
Laurent Bailly ,
Véronique Merle ,
Isabelle Pitrou  and
Pierre Czernichow
Marie-Pierre Tavolacci*
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
Joël Ladner
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
Laurent Bailly
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
Véronique Merle
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
Isabelle Pitrou
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
Pierre Czernichow
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
*
Département d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique CHU-Hôpitaux de Rouen, 1, rue de Germont, 76031 Rouen Cedex, France (Marie-Pierre.Tavolacci@churouen.fr)
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Abstract

Objective.

To evaluate the knowledge of healthcare students after four curricula on infection control and to identify sources of information.

Design.

Cross-sectional study.

Setting.

Four healthcare schools at Rouen University (Rouen, France).

Participants.

Medical students, nursing students, assistant radiologist students, and physiotherapist students taking public health courses.

Methods.

To measure students' knowledge of infection control and their sources of information, 6 multiple-choice questions were asked about 3 specific areas: standard precautions, hand hygiene, and nosocomial infection. Each questionnaire section had 10 possible points, for an overall perfect score of 30. The sources of information for these 3 areas were also recorded: self-learning, practice training in wards, formal training in wards, and teaching during the curriculum. A logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with acceptable level of knowledge.

Results.

Three hundred fifty students (107 medical students, 78 nursing students, 71 physiotherapist students, and 94 assistant radiologist students) were included in the study. The mean overall score (±SD) was 21.5 ± 2.84. Nursing students had a better mean overall score (23.2 ± 2.35) than did physiotherapist students (21.9 ± 2.36), medical students (21.1 ± 2.35), and assistant radiologist students (20.5 ± 3.04; P < .001). The mean scores (±SD) for the component sections of the questionnaire were 8.5 ±1.4 for standard precautions, 7.4 ± 1.26 for hand hygiene, and 5.7 ± 1.55 for nosocomial infections (P < .001). The main source of information was material taught during the curriculum. Results of multivariate analysis indicate that the probability of attaining acceptable knowledge in each area was smaller for medical students and assistant radiologist students than for nursing students.

Conclusion.

The overall score for infection control indicated that instruction was effective; however, knowledge levels were different by area (the best scores were results of tests of standard precautions) and curriculum (nursing students achieved the best overall score). Ward training for daily infection control practice (ie, bedside instructions training and course work) could be improved for healthcare students.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 29 , Issue 7 , July 2008 , pp. 642 - 647
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2008

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