Health Personnel Practices Regarding Environmental Precautions in the Delivery Room

Reishaan, M.A.; Saddam, E.A.H.; Khanjary, M.

doi:10.58209/hehp.14.2.385

Health Personnel Practices Regarding Environmental Precautions in the Delivery Room

Document Type : Descriptive & Survey

Authors

M.A. Reishaan ¹

E.A.H. Saddam ²

M. Khanjary ²

¹ Department of Anesthesia, Faculty of Health and Medical Technology, University of Alkafeel, Najaf, Iraq

² College of Nursing, Al-Ameed University, Kerbala, Iraq

10.58209/hehp.14.2.385

Abstract

v
Aims: The delivery room is one of the most dangerous clinical settings. Healthcare-associated infections occur frequently and pose a threat because both the parturient mother and the newborn are simultaneously susceptible. This study aimed to assess health personnel’s practices regarding environmental precautions in delivery rooms at four Middle Euphrates teaching hospitals in Iraq (Al-Najaf, Karbala, Babylon, and Diwaniyah) and to determine whether practice quality differed substantially among these governorates.
Instrument & Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study used a purposive sample of 124 health workers from the four hospitals, all of which had delivery rooms. Data were collected using a structured observation checklist comprising 11 environmental hygiene items, each rated on a three-point scale (1=poor, 2=fair, 3=good).
Findings: Environmental practices were rated poor in Al-Najaf (mean=1.636±0.001) and moderate in Babylon. Overall, environmental practices were classified as unsatisfactory in Al-Najaf (mean=1.636±0.001) and satisfactory in Babylon (mean=1.931±0.140), Diwaniyah (mean=1.913±0.018), and Karbala (mean=2.194±0.118). Shortcomings were consistently observed in the cleanliness of waste receptacles, the hygiene of dispensers, and the hygiene of pillow covers in several governorates. Environmental practice scores differed across the four governorates (F=147.929; p=0.001).
Conclusion: Environmental precaution practices in delivery rooms are below the desired level and differ highly across governorates.

Keywords

Health Personnel

Delivery Rooms

Environmental Health

Infection Control

Medical Waste Disposal

Subjects

Health Care

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