2022, Vol. 4, Issue 2, Part B

Like the health care workers, staff nurses have to go through clinical practices accordingly, they run a high risk of being exposed to blood borne disease, but preventive education and measures can reduce exposure to such diseases. It is essential to investigate how dialysis unit staff nurses perform in actual clinical environment. The present research sought to address this gap by exploring the knowledge and practices of staff nurses on universal precautions.

Hypothesis:

All hypotheses will be tested at 0.05 level of significance

H1: There will be significant correlation between knowledge and practices of Universal precautions among staff nurses working in dialysis unit of selected hospitals in Belagavi district.

H2: There will be a significant association of Knowledge and practices of universal precautions with demographic variables of staff nurses working in dialysis unit selected hospitals in Belagavi District.

Method: A descriptive approach with descriptive correlation survey design was used for 50 staff nurses working in dialysis unit, drawn through purposive sampling technique in a BIMS hospital Belagavi Karnataka. The conceptual framework used for study was based on Goal attainment theory by Imogene king (1971). A descriptive research approach was considered appropriate for the study.

The independent variable is knowledge of staff nurses and practices is dependent variable. The content validity and reliability of the tool were established. The pilot study was conducted using a structured knowledge questionnaire and observational checklist. Each staff nurses was observed while performing universal precautions during their working dialysis unit at Govt. general hospital in chikkodi, Belagavi Karnataka following which the knowledge questionnaire was administered, which was collected on the same day.

Results: The analysis of data was based on the objectives and hypothesis. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the data analysis. In this present study the demographic data revealed that majority (78%) of the staff nurses were between the age group of 31-45years where as 10% staff nurses were in the age group below 30 years and 12% staff nurses were in the age group 46-60 years. In the present study majority i.e. 76% of sample had average knowledge, 24% had good knowledge, and none of them had poor knowledge regarding universal precautions. Out of 50 staff nurses working in dialysis unit the 94% of the staff nurses had average practices of universal precautions and 6% had good practices in dialysis unit. None of them had poor practices in dialysis unit. 25 (50%) staff nurses attended the workshop or any other educational program on UP. The chi-square test was computed in order to determine the association between the levels of performance of universal precautions and there was positive correlation between knowledge and practices of universal precautions. [r = 0.527, standard error = 0.101.t value = 4.301 (P = 0.000, p>0.05)]. There is no significant association between the knowledge of universal precautions and demographic variables since the calculated chi- square values for gender, age in years; education qualification, attended educational program and work experience in dialysis XII unit are lesser than that of table values at 0.05 level of confidence. Association was formed with practice score universal precautions and age since calculated. chi square value for age is greater than the table value at 0.05 that there is statistically significant association between the practice of universal precautions and selected demographic variables.

Conclusion: The study under that staff nurses’ work in dialysis unit had average knowledge in UP and there practices level in average.