Effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledgeregarding surgical site infection and its prevention among staffnurses

Abstract

Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) worldwide, contributing significantly to increased patient morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, escalating healthcare costs, and, in severe cases, mortality. Global estimates indicate that the pooled cumulative incidence of SSI among general surgical patients is approximately 11%, meaning that roughly one in every nine to ten patients undergoing surgery may develop an infection at the operative site within thirty days of the procedure. In India, reported SSI rates vary widely from 4.2% to 38% depending on the type of surgery, hospital setting, and surveillance methodology used. Staff nurses, being present at every stage of the perioperative continuum, play a pivotal role in preventing surgical site infections through consistent adherence to evidencebased infection prevention and control practices. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a structured teaching programme (STP) on knowledge regarding surgical site infection and its prevention among staff nurses, and to determine the association between pre-test knowledge scores and selected socio-demographic variables. Materials and Methods: A quantitative, preexperimental, one-group pre-test–post-test research design was adopted. The study was conducted among 50 staff nurses at Rohilkhand Medical College & Hospital, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, selected through non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected using a selfstructured, validated knowledge questionnaire and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20. Results: The findings revealed a statistically significant improvement in the knowledge of staff nurses regarding surgical site infection and its prevention following the structured teaching programme, with the mean knowledge score rising from 14.06 ± 4.492 in the pre-test to 22.89 ± 2.674 in the post-test (paired t = 24.255, p = 0.0001), an absolute gain of 8.83 points and a relative improvement of approximately 62.8%. A statistically significant association was also found between pre-test knowledge scores and selected socio-demographic variables, including age, gender, professional qualification, area of working, years of experience, and source of information. Conclusion: The structured teaching programme was highly effective in improving the knowledge of staff nurses regarding surgical site infection and its prevention. These findings are consistent with the broader international literature, which similarly reports meaningful knowledge gains following structured educational interventions among nursing personnel. Enhancing nurses' knowledge through regular, structured educational programmes can strengthen infection prevention practices at the bedside and in the operation theatre, thereby contributing to a measurable reduction in the incidence of surgical site infections and an overall improvement in the quality and safety of patient care.