Effectiveness of An educational Program on Nurses` Practices toward Disinfection and Sterilization Methods for Neonatal Incubators

Abstract

            Neonates have problems keeping their body temperature within normal boundaries due to heat loss. They therefore need special care that is administered with the help of Incubators, which help minimum the heat loss via convection. Within neonatology the incubator has been identified as one of the contributing factors to HCAI due to the warm and humid environment, making it easy to spread nosocomial flora. Methodology a quasi- experimental design used in the present study with application of a (pre-test/ post-test I, post-test II), The study was carried out at NICU in tow teaching hospitals in Bagdad city, Iraq  (Ibn Al-Baladi Teaching Hospital and Fatima Al-Zahra Teaching Hospital for pediatric and obstetrical ). The research sample includes (60) nurses working in NICU. They are selected by using non probability sampling (purposive sample). Results findings indicates that nurses in the study group are showing fair level of practices during the pre-test time (73.4%, M±SD= 15.17 ± 4.219) while they are showing good level of practices during the post-test 1 (100%, M±SD= 35.57 ± .676) and post-test 2 (100%, M±SD= 34.97 ± 1.098) that indicate the significant changes in level of practices among nurses after applying the program. The study concluded that there was a (poor level) of practices among nurses at neonatal intensive care unit toward disinfection and sterilization of neonates incubators in pre-test and then  improved to  (good level ) practice in post-test (1), and post-test (2) , The educational program was effective in increasing the nurse’s practices regarding disinfection and sterilization of neonates incubators. Recommendations: Great emphasis should be directed toward the educational aspects at neonatal intensive care unit by providing educational posters, guidelines, pamphlets and manuals and providing educational guidelines, pamphlets about disinfection , sterilization and disinfectants processes that used in neonates incubators, constructed training courses for and congresses held by specialists in disinfection , sterilization and disinfectants processes that used in neonates incubators .