Knowledge and practice of infection control among nurse clinicians working in tertiary health institutions in south east Nigeria

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) have been a significant issue for hospitals worldwide, regardless of the economic status of the countries. It has seemingly prolonged patient stays and increased the cost of health care services in different regions. This study assesses knowledge and practice of infection control among nurse clinicians working in tertiary health institutions in southeast Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey study design was utilised, and 136 nurses were employed through the census sampling method for this study. A validated, self-structured instrument with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.8 was utilised for data collection. The result revealed good knowledge (above 50%) and a very high extent (cumulative mean of 3.44) of infection control practice among nurse clinicians in the tertiary health institution in southeast Nigeria. There was no significant relationship between the nurses' educational status and practice of infection control measures. In conclusion, nurses in southeast Nigeria had good knowledge and practice of infection control measures, which should lead to reduced HAI and reduced cost of hospitalisation in southeast Nigeria.