KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE ON THE PREVENTION OF NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS AMONG IN PATIENT AND RELATIVE [A CASE STUDY OF GENERAL HOSPITAL LAFIAGI, EDU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA KWARA STATE]

This study was carried out to examine  the knowledge and practice on the prevention of nosocomial infections among in patient and relative using General Hospital Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area Kwara State as a case study. The study was carried out to  establish the level of healthcare workers knowledge on nosocomial infection among patients and relatives, examine the practices of health care workers regarding infection control measures in General Hospital Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State and ascertain the need for maintaining healthy preventive practices towards nosocomial infection among health care workers in General Hospital Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State. 

The survey design was adopted and the simple random sampling techniques were employed in this study. The population size comprise of healthcare workers in General Hospital Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area Kwara State. In determining the sample size, the researcher conveniently selected 57 respondents and 50 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables, and mean scores. While the hypotheses were tested using Chi-square statistical tool. The result of the findings reveals that the level of healthcare workers knowledge on nosocomial infection among patients and relatives is high.

The study also revealed that the practices of health care workers regarding infection control measures in General Hospital Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State includes: washing of hands before and after direct contact with the patients, putting on a mask and glasses when performing invasive and body fluid procedures, recapping needles after use and before disposal, following aseptic techniques strictly and screening patients  to detect colonization even if no evidence of infection. Therefore, it is recommended that the Minister of Health to lobby for sufficient funds from the government so that the Permanent Secretary can allocate enough resources specifically for Infection Prevention and Control. To mention but a few.