Assessment of nursing knowledge and practice toward prevention of acquired infections in the emergency department of King Faisal Medical Complex in Taif

Background: Hospital-acquired infections constitute a significant source of morbidity and mortality for both patients and healthcare professionals. Nursing professionals constitute an integral component of any quality-related program in a hospital, given their oversight and provision of nearly all healthcare services. Nurses' knowledge and attitudes play a significant role in healthcare delivery. Within Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of hospital-acquired infections in hospital settings has prompted a growing emphasis on evaluating nursing knowledge and adherence to practice standards aimed at hospital-acquired infection prevention. Methods: This single-center cross-sectional study was conducted at the emergency department of King Faisal Medical Complex, Taif, between October and December 2022, involving 168 nurses. The study utilized a pre-validated structured online questionnaire comprising three sections: demographics, knowledge assessment, and practice evaluation. Knowledge and practice levels were categorized as good, moderate, and poor using quartiles. Results: = 0.000) were significantly linked to nurses' practice levels The nurses aged 40-50 years (82%) and those with 10-15 years of clinical experience (83.3%) showed good levels of knowledge and practice, respectively. Overall, most of the nurses demonstrated effective knowledge and compliance with infection prevention practices. Conclusion: Sociodemographic factors such as age and clinical experience exert a notable impact on nurses' knowledge and practices regarding hospital-acquired infections.