INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS AFFECTING NURSING PRACTICE IN PREVENTION OF SURGICAL-SITE INFECTIONS AT MBAGATHI AND MAMA LUCY HOSPITALS IN NAIROBI, KENYA

Abstract

Background: Institutional factors have been attributed to the existing burden of nosocomial infections including Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) especially within public hospitals. Effective planning and availability of surgical resources improve care and reduce the risk of developing SSIs. Lack of standard guidelines has been associated with missed nursing care affecting SSI prevention practice. Mbagathi and Mama Lucy hospitals encounter a high burden of SSIs whose incidence is estimated at 20%. Understanding the effect of institutional factors on nursing practice is essential in improving surgical care and treatment outcomes.
Objective: To determine the institutional factors affecting SSI prevention
practice among nurses working in surgical departments at Mbagathi and Mama Lucy hospitals in Nairobi Kenya.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study that involved a total of 126 nurses with a sample size of 63 participants from each of the two hospitals. Ethical approval was sought and informed consent from all the participants ensured before data collection. A simple random sampling technique was used and data were collected through paired questionnaires and observation checklists. Data analysis was conducted using R version 4.1.2; chi-square, fisher’s test, and binary logistic regression.
Results: There was a significant role of SSI surveillance towards improving
nursing practice in prevention of SSIs within surgical departments at Mbagathi hospital (p=0.023) and Mama Lucy hospital (p=0.035).

Conclusion: Existence of SSI surveillance processes within the surgical
departments led to improved nursing care in the prevention of SSIs.
Recommendation: There is a need for enhanced SSI surveillance within surgical departments to improve prevention practice, patient safety, and surgical treatment outcomes.