Conocimientos sobre infecciones asociadas a la atención de salud y su prevención en estudiantes de enfermería de séptimo y octavo semestre de la Universidad Técnica de Ambato

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are frequents events during health care, the incorporation of these topic inside the university classrooms represents a prevention at the moment of forming future professionals. Objective: Evaluating the level of knowledge about health careassociated

infections and their prevention among nursing students in their seventh and eighth semester at the Universidad Técnica de Ambato. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive and transversal study was carried out during the period October - November in a virtual modality where 154 students were selected, from the seventh and the eighth semester. A previously validated survey was applied about 3 specific areas such as: health care associated infections, universal precautions and hand hygiene. An average score of 17,5 were considered like an adequate level of knowledge. Results: 74,68% of participants have an acceptable knowledge regarding HAI and their prevention, being, the area of universal precautions, the most known about among students (82.47%). There is no significant difference between the knowledge of the seventh semester students who go to the boarding school and the eighth semester students who are already in the boarding school and the most students obtained their knowledge within the university curriculum. Conclusion: The general score showed an acceptable level of knowledge for the sample. Nursing students have acquired their knowledge trough their university study plan, even though it’s necessary to deepen the aspects related to hands hygiene in which they attained a poor pondering.