Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Infection - Control Among IIUM Kuantan Nursing Students During Coronavirus 2019 Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak

Abstract

Introduction: Infection Control (IC) is a procedure and evidence-based practice applied in healthcare settings that can prevent the transmission of pathogens and microorganisms to health care workers, patients and visitors. It is reported that nursing students were found lacking knowledge and skills regarding standard precautions in infection control. Low knowledge and skills were reported to have a negative effect on the students’ compliance to standard precautions. Objectives: This study aims to discover the knowledge, attitude and practice on infection control after COVID-19 outbreak among nursing students. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 194 nursing students in IIUM Kuantan using online self-administered questionnaire. Data was interpreted in descriptive and inferential analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Results: From 194 nursing students who participated in the study, the nursing students with good knowledge, attitude and practice were 57.2%, 56.2 % and 53.1%, respectively. There is association between gender and level of attitude (p=0.047). The results presented show that nursing students that have good knowledge showed significantly good attitude (p=0.002) and good attitude showed significantly good practice (p=0.001). Conclusion: The nursing student’s level of knowledge, attitude and practice were fairly good. There are association between gender and level of attitude but there are no significant associations between the other sociodemographic characteristics and level of knowledge, attitude, and practice on infection control. There are also associations between level of knowledge, attitude, and practice on infection control.