EFFECT OF UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS INTERVENTION PROGRAM ON NURSES' KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES TOWARD HEPATITIS B VIRUS

Hepatitis B infection is a serious blood-borne disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) which attacks the liver, and is the leading cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis of the liver. HBV can be transmitted through exposure to infected blood and human secretions through needle stick / sharps injuries and splashes. Thus nurses are at high risk for HBV infection. Universal precautions are the infection control techniques that were recommended following the AIDS outbreak in the 1980s.Essentially it means that every patient is treated as if they are infected and therefore precautions are taken to minimize risk. No doubt, universal precautions are good hygiene habits, such as hand washing and the use of gloves and other barriers, correct sharps handling, and aseptic techniques. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of universal precautions intervention program on nurses' knowledge and practice regarding hepatitis B virus. The study was conducted at Specialized Medical wards (Haemodialysis, medical department, Emergency medical) at Ain Shams University Hospital. Design: Quasi-experimental design was used. Sample: Total samples of 50 nurses were assigned to educational program. The results of this study emphasized that scores of knowledge and practice among studied subjects were increased after participation in the education program. Also the results of this study illustrated that there was statistically significant correlation between knowledge, practice and educational level. This study concluded that hepatitis B educational program improved knowledge and practice and decrease occupational risk from blood borne infection after implementation of program. This study recommended that continuing education programs are needed to increase awareness of hepatitis B virus in various risk groups in our country. Also replication of the study on a larger probability sample from different geographical areas should be done to achieve more generalizable results.