Research Article Open Access

Knowledge Practice Gap Among Nurses Towards COVID-19 Patients’ Dead Body Care in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Girraj Saini1, Mahendra Singh2, Prasan Kumar Panda3, Maneesh Sharma1, Pankaj Punjot1, Raviprakash Meshram4 and Puneet Kumar Gupta5
  • 1 Department of Nursing College, AIIMS, Rishikesh, India
  • 2 Department of Community and Family Medicine, AIIMS, Rishikesh, India
  • 3 Department of Medicine (Division of Infectious Disease), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), India
  • 4 Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (FMT), AIIMS, Rishikesh, India
  • 5 Department of Microbiology, AIIMS, Rishikesh, India

Abstract

COVID-19 due to SARS-CoV-2 is a global pandemic that presents a serious challenge from many angles for healthcare professionals. The virus causes a potentially fatal disease that is easily transmitted among patients and caregivers, hence specific dead body care is required for such patients. Our study was conducted to identify knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding COVID-19 dead body care among hospital nursing personnel. A cross sectional survey-based study was performed involving 282 nurses who worked in COVID-19 units during data collection from July 2020 to September 2020. The online structured questionnaire was based on world health organization guidelines, institutional infection control protocols, and course material regarding emerging respiratory diseases including COVID-19. We found that work experience in the COVID-19 unit had a significant impact on knowledge and practice regarding COVID-19 dead body care. Similarly, we observed that training improved the knowledge and practice of nursing personnel regarding dead body care. Good knowledge, attitude, and practice were observed in experienced and trained nurses (p-value <0.005). No significant changes were observed with age, gender, and education qualification. Overall knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding COVID-19 dead body care were moderate to good. Adequate training among nurses should prevent the transmission of disease due to occupational exposure.

American Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume 19 No. 1, 2023, 13-22

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajidsp.2023.13.22

Submitted On: 30 November 2022 Published On: 10 March 2023

How to Cite: Saini, G., Singh, M., Panda, P. K., Sharma, M., Punjot, P., Meshram, R. & Gupta, P. K. (2023). Knowledge Practice Gap Among Nurses Towards COVID-19 Patients’ Dead Body Care in a Tertiary Care Hospital. American Journal of Infectious Diseases, 19(1), 13-22. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajidsp.2023.13.22

  • 2,141 Views
  • 1,117 Downloads
  • 0 Citations

Download

Keywords

  • Contact Transmission
  • Corona Virus Disease 2019
  • Dead Body
  • Healthcare Workers, and Questionnaire Study