Occupational Medicine & Health Affairs
Open Access

Abstract

Health care-associated infections remain a major cause of patient morbidity and mortality. The main source of nosocomial pathogens is likely the patients’ endogenous flora and this can be attributed to cross infection via the hands of health care personnel, who have become contaminated from direct contact with the patient or indirectly by touching contaminated environmental surfaces. The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge and practices of hospital cleaners regarding infection control interventions at health care units of tertiary hospital in Limpopo Province of South Africa. The focus was on the following units: obstetric, casualty, and neonatal. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was used. Population comprised of all hospital cleaners, working in obstetric, casualty, and neonatal units. Non-probability, convenient sampling method was used to select thirteen participants and data were collected by means of unstructured face to face interviews. Data collected from the participants were analysed using open coding method. Two themes emerged from the analyzed data; namely; infectious product with the following three sub-themes; infection control information, different colour codes as a precautionary measures and shortage of staff. Theme two addressed infection control practices by healthcare professionals with two sub-themes, namely; infection practices by nurses and infection control practices by medical practitioners. Recommendations for infection prevention and control education to be developed for hospital cleaners in collaboration with the hospital Infection Prevention and Control and Occupational Health and Safety Unit.

Biography

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