scholarly journals Standard precautions for preventing Tuberculosis and HIV: Compliance of Eswatini university student nurses

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e0261944
Author(s):  
Ncobile Sidzandza Victoria Gina ◽  
Melitah Molatelo Rasweswe ◽  
Miriam Mmamphamo Moagi

Tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus are among the top ten causes of death globally. To prevent the spread of these infections, health workers and student nurses should comply to infection prevention and control measures called standard precautions. The aim of this study is to assess compliance of Eswatini university student nurses regarding standard precautions for preventing Tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus. A non-experimental quantitative approach was used to conduct a survey on all senior student nurses of Eswatini University using questionnaires. IBM SPSS Statistics version 26 software was used to analyse the data. Results from this study showed that out of the 105 student nurses who were asked only 51.4% (n = 54) said they always used personal protective equipment. However, they did comply well on disposing sharps as 92.4% (n = 97) reported that they always used designated containers. There is a need for close supervision of student nurses in the clinical area. The researcher recommends that clinical facilitator should always accompany student nurses in the clinical area and that preceptors should be exempted from other nursing duties when there are student nurses in the hospitals so that they can mentor the students.

Author(s):  
Bernadine Ekpenyong ◽  
Chukwuemeka J. Obinwanne ◽  
Godwin Ovenseri-Ogbomo ◽  
Kelechukwu Ahaiwe ◽  
Okonokhua O. Lewis ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to explore knowledge, practice of risk and guidelines of the novel corona virus disease (COVID-19) infection among the eye care practitioners and the potential associated factors. A cross-sectional self-administered online survey was distributed via emails and social media networks between 2nd and 18th May 2020 corresponding to the week of the lockdown in Nigeria to eye care practitioners (ECPs). Data for 823 respondents were analyzed. Knowledge and risk practice were categorized as binary outcome and univariate and multivariate linear regression were used to examine the associated factors. The mean score for COVID-19-related knowledge of public health guidelines was high and varied across the ECPs. Ophthalmic Nurses, Ophthalmologists and Optometrists showed higher COVID-19-related knowledge than other ECPs (p < 0.001), particularly those working in the private sector. More than 50% of ECPs stated they provided essential services during the COVID-19 lockdown via physical consultation, particularly the Ophthalmologists. Most respondents reported that the guidelines provided by their Association were useful but expressed their lack of confidence in attending to patients during and after the COVID-19 lockdown. Compared to other ECPs in Nigeria, more Ophthalmic Nurses received training in the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This survey is the first to assess knowledge, attitudes and practice in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. ECPs in Nigeria displayed good knowledge about COVID-19 and provided eye care services during the COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria, despite the majority not receiving any training on the use of PPEs with concerns over attending to patients. There is need for the government to strengthen health systems by improving and extending training on standard infection prevention and control measures to ECPs for effective control of the pandemic and in the future as essential health workers.


1994 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-51
Author(s):  
C M Nwosu ◽  
S N N Nwosu ◽  
K C Okoye

Fifty-one patients were selected from 4 leprosaria in eastern Nigeria and were examined for evidence of syphilis. They were screened serologically for treponemal and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. Information about their sexual behaviour and demographic data were obtained to determine the factors associated with increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STD). They were compared with 115 controls. The results showed that positive treponemal tests were more common in those patients living outside the leprosaria ( P<0.05). Age and sex of the patients living inside the leprosaria were not factors associated with treponemal infections. Leprosy appeared to be a factor for T. pallidum infection when compared with the control group ( P < 0.05; OR 476; CI 1.16,19.5). One leprosy patient and one control subject had positive HIV tests and there was no significant association between leprosy and HIV infection. These findings suggest the possibility of the spread of sexually transmitted diseases amongst the leprosy patient population. The importance with respect to control measures is that leprosy patients living outside leprosaria may constitute a potential reservoir for introducing sexually transmitted diseases into the leprosaria.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chetan Chauhan ◽  
Shanta Kumari

Global Respiratory illness outbreak COVID-19 is a new public health crisis threatening humanity across the globe with the emergence and spread from central China in late 2019. The virus originated around Wuhan, Hubei province, China in December 2019 in bats and was transmitted through unknown intermediary sources to humans. The clinical presentation of viral infection ranges from asymptomatic to severe pneumonia with acute pulmonary distress syndrome is designated as COVID-19. WHO has characterized the disease as a pandemic due to its severity, as well as the shifting of epidemic zones across the globe from epicentre zone, China through a different stage of transmission by contact or inhalation with infected droplets and the incubation period, varies between 2 - 14 days. Treatment is essentially supportive; the effective role of antiviral agents is yet to be established and secondly without knowing the entire genome sequence of COVID- 19, no drug or vaccine can be effectively administered. Prevention entails home isolation of suspected cases and those with mild illnesses and strict infection control measures at hospitals that include contact and droplet precautions. The highest risk of healthcare-associated transmission is in the absence of standard precautions, when basic infection prevention and control measures for respiratory infections are not in place, and when handling patients where COVID infection is yet to be confirmed. The pandemic acceleration of COVID-19 indicates that the initial sporadic spreading worst hit the epicentre, China. But later on, epidemic zone shifts to nearly all continents. Several countries are experiencing sustained local transmission, including Europe and America at the end of February 2020. Current status indicates that confirmed and death cases pattern is rapidly varied among the different continents and emerged as an alarming health crisis of the nd Era in countries like Italy, Spain, U.K, Iran, and the USA. Although India is now in the 2 stage of transmission and too rd far from the 3 stage but till government has already taken deceive control measures. At the same time some of the Asian countries like South Korea, Japan has been reporting a slowdown in the growth of COVID-19 cases due to adoption concept of "Testing is central" to outbreak response that leads to early detection to minimizes further spread. The proportion of asymptomatic cases is currently unknown and hampers the realistic assessment of the virus epidemic potential and complicates the outbreak response. WHO has already announced a large global trial, called SOLIDARITY th on 27 March 2020 which is focusing on the most promising panacea therapies including remdesivir; chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine; a combination of two HIV drugs, lopinavir, and ritonavir; and that same combination plus interferon-beta. The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has already brought considerable human suffering and major economic disruption. In the current scenario, the exact global impact and extension of COVID 19 pandemic acceleration nd rd and reoccurrences of 2 and 3 waves are yet uncertain in globally. Therefore the corona pandemic is unprecedented in its global impact and reach, posing alarming challenges to policymakers, researchers and health workers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Géssyca Cavalcante de Melo ◽  
Emilia Carolle Azevedo de Oliveira ◽  
Iane Brito Leal ◽  
Carolina Piedade Morais de Freitas Soares Silva ◽  
Roberta Andrade Beltrão ◽  
...  

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection still represents an important public health problem, because it involves clinical, epidemiological, social, economic and political issues. We analyzed the temporal and spatial pattern of the HIV incidence in an area of social inequality in northeast Brazil and its association with socioeconomic indicators. An ecological study was carried out with a focus on all HIV cases reported in Alagoas State, Northeast Brazil from 2007 to 2016 using its 102 municipalities as the units of our analysis. Data from the Brazilian information systems were used. Georeferenced data were analyzed using TerraView 4.2.2 software, QGis 2.18.2 and GeoDa 1.14.0. Time trend analyses were performed by the Joinpoint Regression software and the spatial analyses included the empirical Bayesian model and Moran autocorrelation. Spatial regression was used to determine the influence of space on HIV incidence rate and socioeconomic inequalities. There was an increasing trend of HIV rates, especially in the municipalities of the interior. Significant spatial correlations were observed with the formation of clusters with emphasis on the coast of the state and in tourist regions. Spatial regression explained 46% of the dependent variable. The HIV incidence rate was positively influenced by rate of primary health care units (p=0.00), and negatively by Gini index (p = 0.00) and proportion of heads of household without or low education (p=0.02). We conclude that the relationship found between indicators of better socioeconomic conditions and HIV infection suggests unequal access to the diagnosis of infection. Prevention and control strategies can be established according to each epidemiological reality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (27) ◽  
pp. 4536-4541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Costanzo ◽  
Maria Anna Rachele De Giglio ◽  
Giovanni Nicola Roviello

Here we report on the most recent updates on experimental drugs successfully employed in the treatment of the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, also referred to as COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease-19). In particular, several cases of recovered patients have been reported after being treated with lopinavir/ritonavir [which is widely used to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection] in combination with the anti-flu drug oseltamivir. In addition, remdesivir, which has been previously administered to Ebola virus patients, has also proven effective in the U.S. against coronavirus, while antimalarial chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, favipiravir and co-administered darunavir and umifenovir (in patient therapies) were also recently recorded as having anti-SARS-CoV-2 effects. Since the recoveries/deaths ratio in the last weeks significantly increased, especially in China, it is clear that the experimental antiviral therapy, together with the availability of intensive care unit beds in hospitals and rigorous government control measures, all play an important role in dealing with this virus. This also stresses the urgent need for the scientific community to devote its efforts to the development of other more specific antiviral strategies.


2022 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 2236-41
Author(s):  
Maha Pervaz Iqbal ◽  
Kerry Uebel ◽  
Md. Saiful Islam ◽  
Victoria Jabbour ◽  
Dr. Victoria Jabbour ◽  
...  

Objective: To assess the knowledge and practice of medical students regarding standard precautions in an Australian undergraduate medical programme. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: University of New South Wales, Australia, duration of study was six-years. Methodology: Fifty medical students who were involved in clinical practice, were invited to complete a comprehensive questionnaire on standard precautions. Results: The majority of participants agreed that hand hygiene was the most important factor in infection control. Only 32 (16%) knew to use a full personal protective equipment for Ebola. Regarding sharps disposal, 46 (92%) students always disposed used needles in the recommended bin, 27 (54%) indicated they sometimes recapped used needle while 25 (20%) sometimes bent used needles. Conclusion: This study showed that there is a gap between knowledge and practice of medical students regarding hand hygiene and other infection control measures. There is a need for standardized and regular student training in the use of standard precautions in infection prevention and control.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elmira Kultanova ◽  
Milton Severo ◽  
Anar Turmukhambetova

Background — Nosocomial infection (NI) is among the most common and serious challenges in a healthcare system. Health workers and medical students play an important role in prevention of NI. Despite advances in the field of medicine in Kazakhstan, low detection rate of NIs remains unchanged, which could be due to a lack of awareness of the standard precautions for infection control among medical students and health workers. This study is aimed at examining knowledge and judgments on NIs among medical and non-medical students. Material and Methods — We conducted a cross-sectional paper-based survey to examine the knowledge and judgments about the standard precautions for NI among medical and non-medical students. Data collection took place between September 21 and December 20, 2017. Results — The study enrolled 2,817 students. The mean overall score (±SD) was 2.045±1.29. Medical students had a better mean overall score (2.113) than non-medical students (1.785; p<0.001). Awareness of the standard preventive measures was increasing with a year of study, but still just one-third of year 5 medical students were aware of standard prevention (36.3% vs. 17.4% for non-medical students; p<0.001). Conclusion — The overall score of our survey indicated inadequate knowledge and awareness of the guidelines on infection prevention and control among both medical and non-medical students. In order to improve patient safety and welfare, the courses on infection control should be introduced into the curricular of medical universities in Kazakhstan.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document