Volume 32, Issue 118 (June 2019)                   IJN 2019, 32(118): 1-11 | Back to browse issues page


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Larti N, Jokar M, Maraki F, Aarabi A, Zarei M. Comparison of the Knowledge and Performance of Surgical Technicians and Technologists Regarding the Observance of the Aseptic Technique. IJN 2019; 32 (118) :1-11
URL: http://ijn.iums.ac.ir/article-1-2897-en.html
1- MS in Operating Room, Department of Operating Room, School of Paramedical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
2- MSc in Medical Surgical Nursing, Department of Operating Room, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
3- MS in Operating Room, Department of Operating Room, Borojen School of Nursing, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
4- Assistant Professor, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
5- MS in Operating Room, Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran (Corresponding author) Tel: +98-9137375832 Email: mohammad.zarei3113@gmail.com
Abstract:   (4818 Views)
Background & Aims: Many of the risks in the operating room are related to surgery and most of them are preventable. One of the risks is site infection, which occurs within 30 days or a year after surgery. Infection at the site of the surgery may cause problems such as increased postoperative mortality, delayed recovery, increased length of hospital stay, and increased treatment costs. It is important to follow aseptic techniques in the operating room to prevent infection. All members of the surgical team must be committed to ensuring that the surgical environment is sterile. The knowledge and practice of the operating room associates and specialists play an important role in its proper implementation. Using their knowledge and practice, members of the surgical team can actively reduce the side effects of violations in the aseptic technique. Knowing the level of knowledge and performance of staff can be a way to show their weaknesses and training needs, and also according to the research that compares the knowledge and performance of professionals and operating room specialists. The study was designed to compare the knowledge and practice of operating room associates and specialists regarding the observance of aseptic technique.
Materails & Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 235 operating room associates and specialists in eight teaching and medical hospitals in Isfahan in 2017-1997. Inclusion criteria were having a BA or Bsc degree in the operating room and having at least six months of experience in the operating room to become familiar with the principles and rules of this department. Exclusion criteria included withdrawal from the study, incomplete response to questionnaires. There was reluctance to continue cooperation in the research process. Sampling was done by the random stratified method. The research tools included a demographic information form (age, sex, work experience, degree, and name of the hospital understudy), a researcher-made questionnaire to measure knowledge (completed by the samples), and a researcher-made checklist to measure the performance of the samples in terms of compliance. It was an aseptic technique (completed by the researcher). After obtaining written satisfaction from individuals and emphasizing the lack of effect of grades on job evaluations, the researcher provided a knowledge assessment questionnaire to individuals. Then, the performance questionnaire of each person was completed by the researcher by observing three surgeries in which the person had the role of a scrub (washed hand). In this study, an attempt was made to observe the performance of the samples during three identical surgeries as much as possible. To reduce the effect of sample performance on the researcher's presence in the environment, the person who obtained written consent from the samples was not the same as the person who observed the sample performance. Data analysis was performed with descriptive and analytical statistics in SPSS software version 22.
Results: Out of 235 participants, 10 were excluded from the study due to incomplete responses to the questionnaires and five due to withdrawal from the study. Regarding the demographic characteristics of the two groups, the mean age and work experience of the associates were significantly higher than the specialists. Also, the frequency distribution for gender was significantly different between the two groups. The knowledge score of operating room associates and specialists were at a good level and their performance score was average. The mean score of knowledge (P = 0.047) and performance (P = 0.01) of specialists was significantly higher than associates. In both associates (P = 0.027) and specialists (P = 0.032), there was a direct relationship between knowledge and performance scores regarding the aseptic technique. In neither group, there was a significant relationship between knowledge and performance scores regarding aseptic technique with age and work experience and between knowledge and performance scores with gender.
Conclusion: The results showed that the score of knowledge of operating room associates and specialists regarding aseptic technique was at a good level, however, their performance score was average. In crowded medical centers such as the main medical centers in Isfahan, staff does not have enough time to use properly trained aseptic techniques, which can affect the quality of care in the operating room. One of the possible reasons for the gap between knowledge and performance scores in individuals can be the distance between theoretical lessons learned in the classroom and performance in the clinic. The results of comparing the scores of associates and operating room experts regarding the aseptic technique showed that the average score of knowledge and practice of operating room specialists was significantly higher than associates. Due to this, it can be considered as increasing knowledge along with increasing skills and performance. In the present study, there was a direct relationship between knowledge score and performance. So that with the increase of knowledge score, performance score also improved in two groups. Increasing the knowledge of operating room associates and specialists about aseptic techniques can improve their performance. Infection at the surgical site is one of the most common postoperative complications and an aseptic technique can be one of the ways to prevent it. Therefore, measures such as continuous training, holding workshops, and continuous monitoring of knowledge and performance of employees, have an effective role in improving their performance. Therefore, it is hoped that the findings of this study will lead to more accurate monitoring of the performance of health care providers to synchronize their knowledge and performance with each other. Also, due to the higher score of knowledge and performance of operating room specialists, it is better to encourage professionals to continue their education. Besides, to improve the performance of operating room staff, the implementation of effective training programs should be considered.
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Type of Study: Research | Subject: nursing
Received: 2019/03/2 | Accepted: 2019/06/2 | Published: 2019/06/2

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