ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Healthcare-associated infections are a common consequence of unsafe health care practices and are a major issue for patient safety. Health care workers play a key role in patient safety and the quality of care, with factors such as poor compliance with hygiene standards and poor knowledge of infection risks having a major impact. However, the role of health care workers in patient safety has been overlooked in the literature. The objectives of this study were i) to examine health care workers' awareness of infection risks and ii) to assess levels of hand hygiene compliance and barriers to patient safety. METHODS: A one-day cross-sectional survey was conducted in June 2011 at the Ziniaré health district hospital. The study focused on the health care workers present on the day of the survey in hospital care units and involved interviews and observations. RESULTS: The study found that 30.04% of the health care workers knew the definition of healthcare-associated infections. Only 44.4% of the health care workers reported that the hands of health care workers (in the event of poor hand hygiene compliance) were the main mode of transmission of germs between patients in a care facility. In addition, only 21.43% (12/56) of the participants were aware of the main factors that increase the risk of health care-associated infections. The level of compliance with hygiene protocols was low (36.85%). CONCLUSION: The promotion of patient safety and quality of care requires a focus on training and behavior change among health care workers.
Subject(s)
Clinical Competence , Infection Control , Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional/prevention & control , Adult , Burkina Faso , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Interviews as Topic , MaleABSTRACT
In developing countries, few data are available on healthcare-associated infections. In Burkina Faso, there has been a failure to take into account risk management and patient safety in the quality assurance program. The main objective of our study was to carry out an assessment of healthcare-associated infection in a first level hospital. We conducted a cross-sectional study in June 2011 in the care units of Ziniaré District Hospital (Ziniaré, Burkina Faso). The hospital has been divided in three components: i) hospital population (care providers, in-patients and patients' guardians); ii) healthcare and services organization; iii) hospital environment. We included: care providers of the clinical services, hospital in-patients and patients' guardians, hospitalization infrastructure and nursing units, and all the documents relating to standards and protocols. Data collection has been done by direct observation, interviews and biological samples taken at different settings. In hospital population, care providers and patients' guardians represented a high source of infection: adherence to hygiene practice on the part of care providers was low (12/19), and no patients' guardian experienced good conditions of staying in the hospital. In healthcare and services organization, healthcare waste management represented a high-risk source of infection. In hospital environment, hygiene level of the infrastructure in the hospital rooms was low (6.67%). Prevalence of isolated bacteria was 71.8%. Urinary-tract catheters infections were the most significant in our sample, followed by surgical-site infections. In total, 56.26% (9/19) of germs were -Lactamase producers (ESBL). They were represented by Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Our analysis identified clearly healthcare-associated infection as a problem in Ziniaré district hospital. Hence, a national program of quality assurance in the hospitals should now integrate the risk infectious management of healthcare-associated infections.
ABSTRACT
In developing countries; few data are available on healthcare-associated infections. In Burkina Faso; there has been a failure to take into account risk management and patient safety in the quality assurance program. The main objective of our study was to carry out an assessment of healthcare-associated infection in a first level hospital. We conducted a crosssectional study in June 2011 in the care units of Ziniare District Hospital (Ziniare; Burkina Faso). The hospital has been divided in three components: i) hospital population (care providers; in-patients and patients' guardians); ii) healthcare and services organization; iii) hospital environment. We included: care providers of the clinical services; hospital inpatients and patients' guardians; hospitalization infrastructure and nursing units; and all the documents relating to standards and protocols. Data collection has been done by direct observation; interviews and biological samples taken at different settings. In hospital population; care providers and patients' guardians represented a high source of infection: adherence to hygiene practice on the part of care providers was low (12/19); and no patients' guardian experienced good conditions of staying in the hospital. In healthcare and services organization; healthcare waste management represented a high-risk source of infection. In hospital environment; hygiene level of the infrastructure in the hospital rooms was low (6.67). Prevalence of isolated bacteria was 71.8. Urinary-tract catheters infections were the most significant in our sample; followed by surgical-site infections. In total; 56.26(9/19) of germs were -Lactamase producers (ESBL). They were represented by Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Our analysis identified clearly healthcare-associated infection as a problem in Ziniare district hospital. Hence; a national program of quality assurance in the hospitals should now integrate the risk infectious management of healthcare-associated infections
