Compliance with standard precautions among baccalaureate nursing students in a Saudi university: A self-report study

• Published in: Journal of infection and public health Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. 421 - 430
• Main Authors: Colet, Paolo C, Cruz, Jonas Preposi, Alotaibi, Khalaf Aied, Colet, Maverick Kaypee A, Islam, Sheikh Mohammed Shariful
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2017; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Baccalaureate nursing; Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale; Cross Infection - prevention & control; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Guideline Adherence; Humans; Infectious Disease; Internal Medicine; Male; Needlestick Injuries - prevention & control; Nursing students; Saudi Arabia; Self Report; Standard precaution; Students, Nursing; Universities; Baccalaureate nursing; Saudi Arabia; Nursing students; Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale; Standard precaution
• ISSN: 1876-0341; 1876-035X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2016.06.005

Summary Meticulous observance of standard infection control precautions by health care providers is strongly recommended for every patient encounter. Assessment of nursing students’ compliance should be carried out regularly in order to ensure adherence to protocols. Thus, this study was conducted to assess self-reported compliance with standard precautions among baccalaureates in nursing students in a Saudi university. A convenience sample of 236 nursing students was surveyed in this cross-sectional, self-reported study, using the Compliance with Standard Precaution Scale Arabic version (CSPS-A). Independent t -test and one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed to examine the differences on compliance. A multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the factors affecting compliance. The overall compliance rate was 61.0%. The students reported highest compliance in disposing used sharp instruments and other sharp objects into sharps-only boxes, while the lowest compliance rate in using water only for hand washing. Significant differences in compliance were observed when respondents were grouped according to their demographic characteristics. Cultivating a supportive culture of adherence to infection control precautions among nursing students is of paramount importance. The clinical environment should be supportive of a culture where strict compliance with the control and prevention of infection is of prime importance.