Assessment of the implementation of infection control standards in the operating room by registered nurses at state hospitals, Windhoek, Namibia

Abstract

In order to protect patients from the spread of infections, infection control in the operating room is crucial. This study assesses how registered nurses at two state hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia, on implementation of the standards of infections control in the operating room. The objectives of this research were to assess the implementation of infection control standards in the operating room by registered nurses at state hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia and describe the compliance of registered nurses regarding surgical scrubbing, gowning, gloving, and sterile trolley setup in state hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia. The study employed a quantitative descriptive design approach. A philosophy of positivism was employed. The research population was 93 registered nurses. A sample size of 75 was calculated using Slovin’s formula (95.0% confidence interval, 0.05 margin of error). Probability, simple random sampling was utilised. Pilot testing was conducted with three respondents to ensure feasibility. Ethical principles were ensured. Permission to conduct the study was obtained from relevant authorities. Data collection was done using an observational checklist aligned with established infection control standards by Association of perioperative Registered Nurses. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences V27 producing descriptive statistics presented in tables and figures. The findings indicate that registered nurses in the operating rooms of state hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia, have inadequate compliance with infection control standards. The findings shows that that most registered nurses, 66.0%, demonstrated “fair” compliance levels, achieving scores between 50 and 69%. Additionally, 24.0% of registered nurses demonstrated "Good" compliance, scoring between 70-79%, while 6.0% fell into the "poor" compliance category, scoring between 0-49%. Meanwhile, a smaller proportion of registered nurses (4.0%) excelled in compliance, falling into the "Excellent" category with scores ranging from 80-100%. Finally, recommendations for future research were explained and limitations were discussed.