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BACKGROUND: Endotracheal suctioning (ETS) is one of the most common invasive procedures performed by critical care nurses (CCNs) to remove accumulated pulmonary secretions, ensure airway patency for adequate ventilation and oxygenation as well as prevent atelectasis in intubated patients. OBJECTIVES: To assess the practice of CCNs in intensive care units (ICUs) before, during, and after performing the ETS procedure and identify factors affecting their practice. METHODS: A cross-sectional and non-participant observational design was conducted in the ICUs of four hospitals in Hodeida city, Yemen. The data were collected using a 25-item observational checklist in the period from May to August 2019. RESULTS: More than half (55%) of CCNs scored undesirable (< 50%) regarding their adherence to ETS practice guidelines while the rest scored moderate (50-75%), with none of showing desirable adherence (> 70%) to the guidelines. There was no significant association between gender, age, education level, or length of experience of CCNs in the ICUs and their practice during performance ETS procedures. However, training (p = 0.010) and receiving information about ETS (p = 0.028) significantly improved the CCNs' practice. CONCLUSION: Most CCNs at the ICUs of Hodeida hospitals do not adhere to evidence-based practice guidelines when performing ETS procedures, possibly resulting in numerous adverse effects and complications for patients. CCNs receiving information and training show better ETS practice than do their counterparts. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the nursing staff with clear guidelines, continuous education and monitoring to improve their practices.
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Objectives: Workplace safety is essential to occupational health practices among healthcare providers, especially for nurses vulnerable to work-related hazards such as needle stick and sharp injuries. In Yemen, the underestimation and absence of reporting system and lack of health supplies in a collapsed health system exacerbated the needle stick and sharp injuries. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and associated factors of needle stick and sharp injuries among nurses in Taiz, Yemen. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 151 nurses working in three public hospitals in Taiz City. A semi-structured questionnaire was designed and delivered to the participants. Results: The prevalence of needle stick and sharp injuries among nurses was very high (95.36%), and around half were injured more than five times. Female nurses and those in an emergency department were more likely to be subjected to needle stick and sharp injuries (p = 0.018 and 0.021, respectively). Needle stick was the most common cause of injury (62.77%), and the fingers were the most exposed injury site (79.17%). Non-reporting injuries were very high (73.61%), and only one-third (34.21%) of them proceeded in the process of management, and less than one-quarter (23.68%) had been vaccinated. Conclusion: The prevalence of needle stick and sharp injuries among nurses in Taiz was very high, and determined by gender and place of work. Post-injury reporting and precautions were poor, which may increase the prevalence of hospital-acquired infections among clients and healthcare providers.
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BACKGROUND: Catheter-associated urinary tract infection is a global problem but it can be prevented with the appropriate implementation of evidence-based guidelines. This study was conducted to assess the level of compliance of healthcare workers with the catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention guidelines during the insertion of a urinary catheter. METHODS: An observational study using a descriptive cross-sectional design was conducted at Sana'a City hospitals, Yemen. All the nurses and physicians from the governmental, teaching, and private hospitals were eligible to participate in the study. The data collection was performed through convenience sampling from March 2020 to December 2020, using a structured observational checklist prepared specifically for this study. RESULTS: The majority of the urinary catheter insertions were performed by nurses. There were no written policy or procedures for an urinary catheter insertion and no in-service education or training departments in the majority of the hospitals. The overall mean score of compliance was 7.31 of 10. About 71% of the healthcare workers had a high or acceptable level of compliance and 29% had an unsafe level of compliance. Compliance was low for maintaining aseptic technique throughout the insertion procedure, using a single use packet of lubricant jelly, performing hand hygiene immediately before insertion, and securing the urinary catheter once inserted. Factors affecting the healthcare workers compliance were gender, the working ward/unit of the healthcare workers, the availability of a written policy/procedure and a department or unit for in-service education. CONCLUSION: Yemeni healthcare workers' overall compliance was acceptable but it was unsafe in several critical measures. There is an urgent need for developing, implementing, and monitoring national guidelines and institutional policy and procedures for catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention. Periodical in-service education and training programs and adequate access to the necessary materials and supplies are paramount.