Zaineb Ali Hussein Alnuwashy Alnuwashy (1), Noor Mohammed Kadhim Alquraishi (2)
Hospital-acquired infections represent a major public health concern due to their contribution to neonatal morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and increased healthcare costs, particularly in respiratory care units (RCUs). Newborns in RCUs are highly susceptible to infection because of immature immune systems, frequent invasive procedures, and intensive contact with healthcare workers, making nurses’ knowledge critical for infection prevention and control. In Iraq, data regarding pediatric nurses’ knowledge of hospital infections in RCUs remain limited and incomplete, highlighting the need for systematic evaluation. This study aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge of pediatric nurses working in the respiratory care unit toward hospital infections and to examine its relationship with selected demographic characteristics. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 51 pediatric nurses at the Maternity and Children’s Teaching Hospital in Al-Diwaniyah City. The findings indicated that more than half of the nurses demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge regarding hospital infections, while smaller proportions showed high or low knowledge levels. Statistically significant relationships were identified between nurses’ knowledge scores and age, marital status, educational level, and length of public service, whereas no significant associations were found with gender, duration of work in the RCU, participation in training courses, or reading infection-related sources. This study provides current empirical evidence on pediatric nurses’ knowledge of hospital infections in RCUs within the Iraqi healthcare context. The findings underscore the necessity of strengthening surveillance systems, targeted education, and continuous training programs to improve infection control practices in respiratory care units.
Highlights
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