Daniela D'Alessandro1, Antonella Agodi2, Francesco Auxilia3, Silvio Brusaferro4, Laura Calligaris4, Margherita Ferrante2, Maria Teresa Montagna5, Ida Mura6, Christian Napoli5, Cesira Pasquarella7, Elena Righi8, Angelo Rossini9, Valentina Semeraro10, Stefano Tardivo11. 1. Dept. Civil Building and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University, Via Eudossiana, 18-00186 Rome, Italy; Post-graduate School of Public Health, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 18-00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: daniela.dalessandro@uniroma1.it. 2. Dept. Hygiene and Public Health "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via S. Sofia, 87-95123 Catania, Italy. 3. Dept. Public Health, Microbiology and Virology, University of Milan, Via Carlo Pascal 36, 20133 Milano, Italy. 4. Dept. Clinical and Experimental Pathology and Medicine, University of Udine, Via Palladio 8, 33100 Udine, Italy. 5. Dept. Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari, piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. 6. Dept. Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale S. Pietro 43/b, 07100 Sassari, Italy. 7. Dept. Biomedical, Biotechnological and Translational Sciences, University of Parma, Via Volturno, 39, 43125 Parma, Italy. 8. Dept. Public Health Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Università 4, 41100 Modena, Italy. 9. IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Via Ardeatina, 306, 00142 Rome, Italy. 10. Post-graduate School of Public Health, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 18-00185 Rome, Italy. 11. Dept. Public Health, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie, 15-37134 Verona, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The training of health workers is a key issue for the prevention of healthcare associated infections. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate knowledge of nursing and medical students concerning the prevention of healthcare associated infections. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: University hospitals in nine Italian cities. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand four hundred sixty one healthcare students (607 medical students and 854 nursing students). METHODS: The study was performed using a questionnaire investigating 3 areas, each having different possible points: standard precautions=12; hand hygiene=8; healthcare associated infections=5, for an overall perfect score of 25. Scores that met a cutoff ≥17.5 were considered to be indicative of an acceptable level of knowledge. Factors associated with an acceptable level of knowledge were analyzed using a logistic regression model. RESULTS: Mean overall score (±SD) was 18.1 ± 3.2. Nursing students (18.6 ± 2.9) obtained a higher overall score than medical students (17.4 ± 3.5) (p<0.001). Weighed scores (±SD) by area were: 10.3 (±2.0) for standard precautions, 5.0 (±1.3) for hand hygiene and 2.8 (±1.1) for healthcare associated infections. Knowledge level concerning the three areas was different between medical and nursing students (p<0.001). The probability of finding acceptable knowledge was smaller for medical students (OR: 0.54 p<0.0001) and for students aged ≥24 years (OR: 0.39 p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The overall score showed an acceptable level of knowledge for the whole sample; but, considering separately the two curricula, only nursing students reached the minimum acceptable score. It seems important to investigate what is working better in nursing than in medical education in order to implement and validate new teaching approaches.
BACKGROUND: The training of health workers is a key issue for the prevention of healthcare associated infections. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate knowledge of nursing and medical students concerning the prevention of healthcare associated infections. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: University hospitals in nine Italian cities. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand four hundred sixty one healthcare students (607 medical students and 854 nursing students). METHODS: The study was performed using a questionnaire investigating 3 areas, each having different possible points: standard precautions=12; hand hygiene=8; healthcare associated infections=5, for an overall perfect score of 25. Scores that met a cutoff ≥17.5 were considered to be indicative of an acceptable level of knowledge. Factors associated with an acceptable level of knowledge were analyzed using a logistic regression model. RESULTS: Mean overall score (±SD) was 18.1 ± 3.2. Nursing students (18.6 ± 2.9) obtained a higher overall score than medical students (17.4 ± 3.5) (p<0.001). Weighed scores (±SD) by area were: 10.3 (±2.0) for standard precautions, 5.0 (±1.3) for hand hygiene and 2.8 (±1.1) for healthcare associated infections. Knowledge level concerning the three areas was different between medical and nursing students (p<0.001). The probability of finding acceptable knowledge was smaller for medical students (OR: 0.54 p<0.0001) and for students aged ≥24 years (OR: 0.39 p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The overall score showed an acceptable level of knowledge for the whole sample; but, considering separately the two curricula, only nursing students reached the minimum acceptable score. It seems important to investigate what is working better in nursing than in medical education in order to implement and validate new teaching approaches.
Authors: Maria Teresa Montagna; Christian Napoli; Silvio Tafuri; Antonella Agodi; Francesco Auxilia; Beatrice Casini; Maria Franca Coscia; Marcello Mario D'Errico; Margherita Ferrante; Angelo Fortunato; Cinzia Germinario; Domenico Martinelli; Giuseppe Michele Masanotti; Maria Fatima Massenti; Gabriele Messina; Paolo Montuori; Ida Mura; Giovanni Battista Orsi; Alessia Quaranta; Giovanni Sotgiu; Armando Stefanati; Stefano Tardivo; Maria Valeria Torregrossa; Anna Maria Tortorano; Licia Veronesi; Raffaele Zarrilli; Cesira Pasquarella Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2014-09-18 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Antonella Agodi; Martina Barchitta; Annalisa Quattrocchi; Emiliano Spera; Giovanni Gallo; Francesco Auxilia; Silvio Brusaferro; Marcello Mario D'Errico; Maria Teresa Montagna; Cesira Pasquarella; Stefano Tardivo; Ida Mura Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-09-06 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: J Cambil-Martin; M Fernandez-Prada; J Gonzalez-Cabrera; C Rodriguez-Lopez; A Almaraz-Gomez; A Lana-Perez; A Bueno-Cavanillas Journal: J Prev Med Hyg Date: 2020-04-02