Assessment of nursing students perceptions of their training hospital's infection prevention climate: A multi-university study in Saudi Arabia

Nursing students' perceptions of patient safety culture and barriers to reporting medication errors: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Patient safety is critical to high-quality patient care. However, it is liable to medication errors (MEs).

OBJECTIVE

Therefore, this study assessed perceptions of patient safety culture (PSC) and barriers to reporting MEs among nursing students in Hail City, Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study among 360 convenience students at the College of Nursing, University of Hail, in 2023. We collected data using questions about the characteristics of students, the Health Professional Education in Patient Safety Survey (H-PEPSS) questionnaire, and the Medication Error Reporting questionnaire. Students' mean PSC perception scores were calculated and compared based on their characteristics using the independent-samples t-test or one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used as appropriate. We used Paired samples t-test to compare the mean scores of self-reported perceptions of PSC between classroom and clinical settings, with a significance level of <0.05.

RESULTS

The overall PSC perception score was significantly higher in the classroom than in the clinical setting (p = 0.017). Students in the classroom setting scored significantly higher on the domains of "clinical safety skills" (p < 0.001), "effective communication" (p = 0.039), and "safety risk management" (p = 0.008) than those in the clinical setting. Conversely, students in the clinical setting scored significantly higher on the domains of "teamwork with other HCPs" (p < 0.001), "understanding human and environmental factors" (p = 0.039), and "recognizing and responding to immediate hazards" (p < 0.001). Female students and those who were in their second level, had PSC training, desired to participate in PSC training, and reported the presence of an error reporting system scored significantly higher on PSC perceptions in both settings. Most students (95.8 %) believed in the benefits of discovering and reporting MEs. However, a considerable proportion also expressed concerns about ME reporting, including fears of disciplinary action (87.5 %), blame for errors (87.2 %), and loss of respect from colleagues (85.6 %). Most students (97.5 %) also believed that MEs should be reported. However, only 11.1 % of students reported the occurrence of MEs, and 6.7 % experienced these errors.

CONCLUSION

Discrepancies exist in PSC perceptions among nursing students in Hail City between academic and real-world contexts, being consistently higher in the classroom compared to the clinical setting. PSC training and the presence of an error reporting system should be considered when developing interventions to improve PSC perceptions. This study revealed that many barriers were rated in a high percentages for reporting the medication, particularly fears of disciplinary action, blame for errors and loss of respect from colleagues, should be addressed.

Nursing students' perspectives on patients' safety competencies: a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Nurses constitute the largest body of healthcare professionals globally, positioning them at the forefront of enhancing patient safety. Despite their crucial role, there is a notable gap in the literature regarding the comprehension and competency of nursing students in patient safety within Egypt. This gap underscores the urgent need for research to explore how nursing students perceive patient safety and the extent to which these competencies are integrated into their clinical and educational experiences. Understanding these perspectives is essential for developing targeted interventions that can significantly improve patient safety outcomes. The objective of this study was to fill this gap by assessing the perspectives of nursing intern students on patient safety competencies, thereby contributing to the global efforts in enhancing patient safety education and practice.

METHODS

In this research, a cross-sectional study design was employed to investigate the topic at hand. A purposive sample of 266 nursing intern students was enrolled from the Faculty of Nursing at Mansoura University. The data were collected using a patient safety survey. Subsequently, the collected data underwent analysis through the application of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques using SPSS-20 software.

RESULTS

Among the studied intern nursing students, we found that 55.3% and 59.4% of the involved students agreed that they could understand the concept of patient safety and the burden of medical errors. Regarding clinical safety issues, 51.1% and 54.9% of the participating students agreed that they felt confident in what they had learned about identifying patients correctly and avoiding surgical errors, respectively. Concerning error reporting issues, 40.2% and 37.2% of the involved students agreed that they were aware of error reports and enumerated the barriers to incident reporting, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the nursing student patient safety overview domain and their age (p = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study's compelling data demonstrated that intern students who took part in the patient safety survey scored higher overall in all patient safety-related categories. However, problems with error reporting showed the lowest percentage. The intern students would benefit from additional educational and training workshops to increase their perspectives on patients' safety competencies.

Infection prevention and control continuous education and training in pre-registration nursing programmes

BACKGROUND

Infection prevention and control (IPC) education and training in pre-registration nursing programmes are imperative in developing student nurses' clinical aptitudes. The IPC core competencies must be consistent amongst student nurses across different settings, asserting the need for education and training providers to respond. Continuous education and training can improve IPC core competencies through enhanced knowledge, compliance, and attitude in the academic and clinical contexts, impacting future nursing practice and patient safety.

OBJECTIVE

This integrative review critically examines the reported IPC core competencies in pre-registration nursing programmes to contribute to future continuous IPC education and training.

REVIEW METHODS

An integrative literature review methodology was utilised to conduct a structured literature search within the last five years using CINAHL Plus, EMBASE, ERIC, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases. The following keywords were used: infection prevention and control; pre-registration nursing; higher education; core competencies in the databases. A total of 15 articles were identified under the inclusion criteria of peer-reviewed primary research in English on the pre-registration nurse population and their nursing programmes.

RESULTS

The final review of the 15 reports yielded continuous IPC education and training, knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and clinical placements as key components to develop and elevate student nurses' IPC core competencies.

CONCLUSION

All reports acknowledged the challenges of maintaining IPC core competencies and seeking diversified strategies to support continuous education and training utilising interactive tools embedded with simulated scenarios and quizzes, translating knowledge and skills to exemplary professional behaviours, and consistent academic and clinical support as the IPC demand intensifies.

A multi-institute, follow-up, observational study measuring nursing students' adherence to infection prevention and control protocols in Saudi Arabia

Background

Nursing students learn principles of infection prevention and control (IPC) and hand hygiene (HH) in clinical courses, and their learning is reflected in their practice.

Objectives

The knowledge, attitude, and practice of principles of IPC and HH of the students were measured prior to and after attending an educational workshop. The adherence of the students to the IPC and HH protocols at the hospital was also observed.

Methods

This study included a pretest-posttest time series follow-up and an observational part. During the first part of the study, students attended a workshop, which was preceded by a pretest. It was then followed by a posttest directly after finishing the workshop and in 12 weeks. Participants were submitted to an observational part by a trained observer to document certain skills taught earlier during the workshop.

Settings

Students from three nursing schools in Saudi Arabia participated in the study.

Participants

A total number of 130 completed the study protocol, and 100 completed the observation part.

Results

Students were found to experience an improvement in their knowledge, beliefs, and commitment scales after the workshop. The attitude scale remained relatively unchanged over different tests. Most students performed the skills properly and adequately, but some failed to perform certain skills, like hand rub, and the proper use of disinfectants.

Assessing the Validity and Reliability of the Russian Version of the Leading a Culture of Quality in Infection Prevention Scale among Nurses in Kazakhstan

Background

Worldwide, hospitals are required to prioritize the culture of quality in infection prevention (CQIP) for patient safety. Assessing CQIP is crucial, but there is limited research, especially regarding nurses' perceptions. Insufficient information exists due to scarcity of validated instruments in local languages to measure CQIP internationally.

Purpose

This study assessed the "Leading a Culture of Quality in Infection Prevention Scale" Russian version's (LCQ-IPS-R) validity and reliability to assess the CQIP of hospitals in Kazakhstan based on nurses' perceptions.

Methods

This study utilized a methodological design and analyzed data from 204 nurses at the "National Research Center for Maternal and Child Health" in Astana City, Kazakhstan. The "cultural and linguistic adaptation" process involved a "forward-backward translation" technique. Content validity and construct validity were examined. Internal consistency reliability was explored for scale reliability.

Results

The scale's mean item range was from 3.56 (SD = 1.22) to 4.40 (SD = 0.85; SD = 0.92). The corrected item-total correlation ranged from 0.321 to 0.707. Six experts rated the I-CVI from 0.83 to 1.00, with an S-CVI/Ave of 0.90. The principal component analysis with Varimax rotation produced four distinct components of the LCQ-IPS-R, explaining 69.8% of the total variance. The tests of correlation between the LCQ-IPS-R's four components revealed medium to large positive associations among the components (r = 0.25-0.55, p < 0.001). The computed α for the LCQ-IPS-R was 0.909 while α values from four subscales ranged from 0.809 to 0.921. Conclusions/Implications for Practice. This study provides evidence of the LCQ-IP-R's reliability and validity in evaluating Russian-speaking nurses' perception of their hospital's CQIP. These findings open the door for further research on CQIP in healthcare settings in Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and other Russian-speaking countries. The scale provides essential baseline information to design effective interventions for achieving hospitals' infection prevention objectives.

Predictors of Self-Assessed and Actual Knowledge about Diabetes among Nursing Students in Saudi Arabia

The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors of self-assessed and actual knowledge of diabetes among undergraduate nursing students. Nursing education plays an important role in preparing future nurses and ensuring that they are knowledgeable and competent in diabetes care. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 330 undergraduate Saudi student nurses. We collected data from October to December 2019 using the Diabetes Self-report Tool (DSRT) and Diabetes Basic Knowledge Tool (DBKT). We performed a multiple regression analysis to identify the predictors of self-reported and actual knowledge of diabetes. The students' overall mean (SD) scores in the DSRT and DBKT were 48.31 (5.71), which is equivalent to 80.52% of the total score and 22.54 (8.57), respectively. The students' university, gender, year level and experience in providing direct care to diabetic patients were the significant predictors of self-reported knowledge, whereas their university, age and perceived diabetes knowledge were the significant predictors of actual diabetes knowledge. The findings underscore the necessity to improve student nurses' actual knowledge of diabetes and its management. Our findings provide a solid basis for planning and implementing educational interventions with diabetes-related information to ensure adequate diabetes knowledge among nursing students.

A Multi-Point Surveillance for Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles among Clinical Isolates of Gram-Negative Bacteria Recovered from Major Ha'il Hospitals, Saudi Arabia

The devastating nosocomial resistance is an on-going global concern. Surveillance of resistance is crucial for efficient patient care. This study was aimed to conduct a surveillance in four major Ha'il Hospitals from September to December 2020. Using a multipoint program, records of 621 non-duplicate Gram-negative cultures were tested across 21 drugs belonging to different categories. Major species were Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 187, 30%), E. coli (n = 151, 24.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, (n = 84, 13.6%), Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 82, 13.3%), and Proteus mirabilis (n = 46, 7%). Based on recent resistance classifications, A. baumanni, P. aeruginosa, and enteric bacteria were defined as pan-resistant, extremely resistant, and multi-drug resistant, respectively. A. baumannii (35%) and K. pneumoniae (23%) dominated among coinfections in SARS-CoV2 patients. The "other Gram-negative bacteria" (n = 77, 12.5%) from diverse sources showed unique species-specific resistance patterns, while sharing a common Gram-negative resistance profile. Among these, Providencia stuartii was reported for the first time in Ha'il. In addition, specimen source, age, and gender differences played significant roles in susceptibility. Overall infection rates were 30% in ICU, 17.5% in medical wards, and 13.5% in COVID-19 zones, mostly in male (59%) senior (54%) patients. In ICU, infections were caused by P. mirabilis (52%), A. baumannii (49%), P. aeruginosa (41%), K. pneumoniae (24%), and E.&nbsp;coli (21%), and most of the respiratory infections were caused by carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae and UTI by K. pneumoniae and E.&nbsp;coli. While impressive IC, hospital performances, and alternative treatment options still exist, the spread of resistant Gram-negative bacteria is concerning especially in geriatric patients. The high selective SARS-CoV2 coinfection by A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae, unlike the low global rates, warrants further vertical studies. Attributes of resistances are multifactorial in Saudi Arabia because of its global partnership as the largest economic and pilgrimage hub with close social and cultural ties in the region, especially during conflicts and political unrests. However, introduction of advanced inter-laboratory networks for genome-based surveillances is expected to reduce nosocomial resistances.

Nursing Students' Perceptions, Knowledge, and Preventive Behaviors Toward COVID-19: A Multi-University Study

Background: Knowledge, perception, and preventive behavior should be considered in the planning of effective educational interventions for the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and in increasing awareness about the health risks brought about by this disease. This research aimed to assess knowledge, perceptions, and preventive behavior toward the COVID-19 infection among student nurses. Methods: The study has quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional design. A convenience sample of 1,226 student nurses from seven universities in Saudi Arabia was surveyed from March 22 to April 4, 2020. A four-part online survey on demographic characteristics, perceptions, knowledge, and preventive behavior of Saudi student nurses was carried out. Results: Nearly all students were aware of the outbreak (99.2%), and most of them received information on COVID-19 primarily from social media (71.0%). Over three-fourths of the students were confident that the government (89.1%) and Ministry of Health (MOH) (86.5%) were doing a good job responding to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. The overall average score in the knowledge questionnaire was 9.85 (SD = 1.62, range = 0-12), which is equivalent to 82.1%. The majority of the students always performed most of the preventive behavior identified in the survey, except "washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 s after blowing my nose, coughing, or sneezing" (39.2%) and "daily cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces" (41.6%). Being female, being in the fourth year, and gaining good perceived knowledge were associated with high actual COVID-19 knowledge. University, gender, age, academic level, and perceived COVID-19 knowledge were the associated factors. Conclusions: The findings of this study have provided baseline information on the current state of Saudi nursing students' perceptions, knowledge, and preventive behavior toward COVID-19 as the crisis is happening. The findings revealed some areas that should be focused on by nursing education, as well as health agencies, to ensure that the students have adequate knowledge and correct preventive behavior.

Occupational Safety and Health Training for Undergraduates Nursing Students: A Spanish Pilot

Most of blood borne and airborne pathogens are highly contagious, harmful and have prevalence among healthcare workers. In this group, healthcare students, especially nursing undergraduates, have even higher risk to be exposed and suffered a contagious accident. One of the main pillars to prevent exposure to such pathogens and decrease accidents seems to be through education. A prospective observational educational research focused on quantifying the students' knowledge, and prevention culture was carried out. The educational approach based on the development of a technological tool, its integration in the students' education, and posterior assessment. The Chi-square, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Man-Whitney U, and Spearman correlations were used to determine the effect of such educational methodology. The results, previous to the integration of the educational approach, showed differences between the elementary and proficient knowledge and correct procedure in each academic year (p < 0.05), being the best year the third academic year. The mean of elementary knowledge among second year students after the inclusion of the educational methodology improved for 2017/2018 with a mean of 7.5 (1.11) and in 2018/2019 with 7.87 (1.34). This study argued that the educational approach proposed could improve the prevention culture and knowledge among students and future healthcare professionals.

Perceptions of female Saudi undergraduate nursing students toward family-centered care

BACKGROUND

While family-centered care is considered a vital part of nursing care, nursing students seem to struggle in incorporating family-centered care in the clinical setting. Several factors such as minimal exposure in family interactions throughout their clinical practice, lack of experience in organizing family-centered clinical experiences, access to restricted clinical areas, and inadequate supervision from clinical instructors present as challenges among nursing students in practicing family-centered care.

OBJECTIVES

This study explored the perceptions of nursing students toward family-centered care in Saudi Arabia.

DESIGN

This study used the quantitative approach through the cross-sectional survey method.

SETTINGS

The study was conducted in the Faculty of Nursing of a government university in Saudi Arabia.

PARTICIPANTS

A total population sample comprising 232 female junior and student nurses participated in the study.

METHODS

After the approval of the Ethical Board Committee had been secured, a survey containing a demographic information sheet and the Family-Centered Care Questionnaire was distributed to the students from June 2018 to February 2019.

RESULTS

The overall mean of the students' responses in the questionnaire was 3.76 (SD = 0.67, range = 3.40-4.08), indicating a modest perception toward family-centered care. The dimension "family is the constant" received the most positive response from the students (M = 3.90, SD = 0.77), whereas the dimension "parent-to-parent support" was rated the lowest with a mean of 3.64 (SD = 0.89). Junior nursing students had more positive perception toward family-centered care than the seniors. Weak negative correlations were observed between students' age and family-centered care perception.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides insights into family-centered care, which could be used in crafting policies and interventions in various health care settings and nursing education in Saudi Arabia. Such insights could foster positive perceptions toward family-centered care among student nurses and guarantee excellent family-centered care nursing practice.