Background: This study was undertaken to assess the levels of job satisfaction and its correlate among nurses in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH); and to compare the levels of job satisfaction between senior and junior nurses. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of senior and junior nurses working at various specialties in AKTH, Kano. Ethical clearance and informed consent were obtained. Questionnaires were used to obtain a response from 350 nurses in a five-point Likert scale. The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 statistical software. Descriptive statistics was used. Significant association of job satisfaction and sociodemographic variables was tested using the Chi-square test and Pearson' Coefficient of Correlation. Statistical significance was considered when P < 0.05. Result: The mean ages were 30.26 ± 4.76 and 40.19 ± 5.61 years for junior and senior nurses, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant, (P = 0.001). The mean number of dependents was higher (5 ± 2) for senior nurses compared to junior nurses (4 ± 2), but the difference was not statistically significant. Both age and number of dependents showed very weak positive correlations with job satisfaction. The average duration of service for senior nurses (9.45 ± 4.25 years) was higher than that of junior nurses (3.44 ± 2.00 years), and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0001). Most junior nurses had their promotion 4-7 years prior to the study (58.75%) compared to the senior nurses whose promotion was within the past 3 years (64.7%). Nurses in the two groups worked 7-9 h/day (84.3% and 85.3%). Duration of last promotion showed very weak positive correlation with job satisfaction. Conclusion: There are generally high levels of job satisfaction among nurses in AKTH compared with those report from other studies and this showed a very weak positive correlation with promotion. Job satisfaction may improve if nurses are promoted timely.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]

Aim: The aim was to assess the knowledge and awareness of standard precautions among heath care workers that is, doctors, nurses, and technicians. Setting and Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in September and October 2013 at Nizam's institute of medical sciences, Hyderabad. Materials and Methods: A 40-item questionnaire was provided to 180 health care workers including doctors, medical technicians and nurses to assess their knowledge and awareness of standard precautions under seven divisions namely general information on standard precautions, care of skin and hand washing, personal protective equipment (PPE), procedure for the safe handling and disposal of sharps, postexposure prophylaxis, bio medical waste and linen disposal, knowledge on blood borne and other pathogens. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test has been used to compare the relevant groups. Results: It was observed that 96 (53.3%) respondents are very knowledgeable and 84 (46.7%) were somewhat knowledgeable. In the very knowledgeable category, there were 38 doctors, 24 nurses and 34 technicians. 48 (57.1%) males and 48 (50%) female respondents were found to be very knowledgeable. With respect to length of service, 21 (53.8%) respondents in 0-5 years of service category, 18 (60%) in 5-10 years category and 57 (48.7%) in >10 years category were found to be very knowledgeable. Conclusions: Knowledge of standard precautions was highest among doctors (63.3%), followed by technicians (56.6%) and nurses (40.0%). There is a significant difference in knowledge and awareness of standard precautions among studied health care professionals (P = 0.031). Knowledge and awareness of standard precautions did not vary significantly between males and females (P > 0.05). There is no significant difference in knowledge and awareness of standard precautions among groups, with respect to length of service (P > 0.05). The studied population was not very knowledgeable in division's namely PPE, sharps disposal and bio-medical waste disposal.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the multi-center data of healthcare associated infections (HAIs) to assess the infection control (IC) scenario in India in context with Center for Disease Control (CDC)/National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) and International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) database. Materials and Methods: Four National Accreditation Board for Hospitals accredited hospitals contributed their raw data on HAIs-number of days and number of infections in all intensive care patients were obtained as per the CDC-NHSN definitions and formulae. Three major device related infections were considered for analysis based on the prevalence of HAIs and discussions with subject experts. All nodal champions from each hospital were trained and common data collection sheet for surveillance in accordance to CDC-NHSN was formed. The pooled means for HAI rates and average of the pooled means for all were calculated using data from them and compared with CDC/NHSN and INICC percentiles. Results: The Indian pooled mean HAI rates for all infections were above CDC/NHSN percentile threshold but below INICC percentile. Ventilator associated pneumonia was considered as a matter of prime concern, crossing P90 line of CDC/NHSN threshold. However, no HAI rate was in the limit of P25. Conclusion: Indian HAI rates were higher when mapped with CDC threshold. This suggests the requirement for more standardized and evidence based protocols to tackle the HAIs with an aim to achieve the benchmark within CDC/NHSN thresholds. However, the 4 hospitals have better HAI rates as compared to pooled INICC database.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]

Background and Objective: The next decade shall see a great change in the health care sector and there is a need for standardization of health care delivery at all levels, which at the moment is lacking in India. The standardization can come if we adopt some sort of uniform accreditation. For proper deliverance of health care, the role of medical staff is significant. This asks for an assessment on the attitude of medical staff toward accreditation and then the knowledge on accrediting standards. This study is conducted with the objectives to identify the attitude level of medical staff on accreditation, as well as their knowledge level on NABH standards. Research Methodology: The study was conducted on 10 doctors and 40 nurses of the hospital before and 6 months after the start of accreditation process in the hospital. Samples were selected by simple random method. A questionnaire was used to collect the information about the attitude and knowledge of medical staff about NABH accreditation. Results: The study revealed that medical staff had a positive attitude and improved knowledge about accreditation after 6 months working in a hospital on the way to NABH. The attitude reflected in their positive approach in managing patients under better work atmosphere thus, indirectly reflecting on the benefit to the society as whole. Conclusion: The sound knowledge and a positive attitude toward NABH accreditation among the medical staff are very important. And the same can be accomplished with proper training and good hospital environment.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are usually related to a procedure or treatment used to diagnose or treat the patient's initial illness or injury. Aim: To find and compare the incidence of HAI in different Intensive Care Units (ICU's) of Hospital A. To show a correlation, between HAI with mortality, morbidity and average length of stay (ALOS). Materials and Methods: The study was carried out at three ICU's of Hospital A in North-West Delhi-Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU), Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU) and Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU). All patients admitted were followed from admission to 2 days after discharge from the ICU during a period of January 2010-December 2011-December-2012. The total sample amounted to 35,582 patient device days-13,051 for 2010 and 11,659 for 2011 and 10,872 for 2012. Continuous training was there from 2011 onwards for bundle approach and hand hygiene monitoring. Results: The rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) from 55.93 per 1000 device days to 7.91 per 1000 device days from 2010 to 2012, catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) decreased from 6.33 per 1000 device days to 1.43 per 1000 device days but catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) increased from 8.46 per 1000 device days to 21.80 per 1000 device days. There is a significant correlation between mortality and HAI P value 0.03 with no significant correlation between morbidity and HAI P value 0.74 also no significant correlation in ALOS and HAI P value 0.17. Conclusion: The trend in VAP and CAUTI in 3 ICU's from 2010 to 2012 shows a decreasing trend, the trend of CRBSI in 3 ICU's from 2010 to 2012, which shows a decreasing trend in MICU with no trend in SICU and RICU. There is a significant correlation between mortality and HAI with no significant correlation between morbidity and HAI also no significant correlation in ALOS and HAI.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]