EFFECTIVENESS OF A STRUCTURED TEACHING PROGRAMME ON KNOWLEDGE REGARDING INFECTION CONTROL IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AMONG B.SC. NURSING STUDENTS: A PRE-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired infections are a leading cause of preventable morbidity, mortality and cost in Indian hospitals, and undergraduate nursing students often enter clinical postings with limited formal preparation in infection control. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a structured teaching programme (STP) in improving knowledge regarding infection control in the ICU among B.Sc. Nursing Part-II students. Methods: A quantitative, pre-experimental one-group pre-test/post-test design was used. Seventy B.Sc. Nursing Part-II students in a selected college of nursing in Kota, Rajasthan, were enrolled through non-probability convenience sampling. A validated 30-item structured knowledge questionnaire was administered before and seven days after a 45-minute STP delivered by the investigator. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, paired-samples t analysis and chi-square tests, with p < 0.05 taken as significant. Results: Mean pre-test knowledge score was 12.76 ± 1.59 (range 0–21; 68.57% inadequate) and mean post-test score was 24.91 ± 1.12 (range 19–30; 92.85% adequate); the mean gain of 12.15 points on a 30-point scale represented a large improvement across every content area. Area-wise mean percentage gains were greatest for general information regarding infection control (66.43%), followed by standard precautions (46.53%) and prevention and management (27.82%). Pre-test knowledge was significantly associated with age (χ² = 18.07, df = 3), area of residence (χ² = 13.58, df = 1), previous knowledge about infection control (χ² = 15.82, df = 1), source of information (χ² = 42.33, df = 3) and clinical exposure to ICU (χ² = 6.36, df = 1), all p < 0.05; gender and religion were not associated with pre-test knowledge. Conclusion: A brief, focused STP produced a substantial and consistent gain in ICU infection-control knowledge among B.Sc. Nursing Part-II students. Embedding short structured modules within undergraduate nursing curricula is feasible and is likely to strengthen future infection-prevention practice in resource-limited ICUs.