PROCJENA ZNANJA, STAVOVA I PONAŠANJA ZDRAVSTVENIH PROFESIONALACA U PODRUČJU SIGURNOSTI PACIJENATA
ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD OF PATIENT SAFETY

Summary/Abstract: Improving patient safety represents a complex challenge that requires the systematic development of a safety culture. The development of a safety culture contributes not only to increased patient safety but also to reduced dissatisfaction among healthcare professionals and fewer sanctions from supervisory structures. Objective: To assess the knowledge and attitudes of staff regarding hand hygiene in relation to their profession, profile, and the risk level of the surveyed clinics. Participants and Methods: The study included 100 randomly selected participants from healthcare and non-healthcare professions employed at four clinics of the University Clinical Center Tuzla, of which two were classified as high-risk and two as low-risk for healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Data were collected using an adapted WHO questionnaire on hand hygiene knowledge, including demographic data, workplace characteristics, and staff attitudes and practices. Analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, χ² test, and Student’s t-test, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The study included 100 randomly selected participants employed at UKC Tuzla, divided according to the clinic’s HAI risk (50 low-risk, 50 high-risk). Among participants, there were 60 women and 40 men, evenly distributed between clinics. Analysis showed that gender and mean age were not statistically significantly different between groups (χ² and Student’s t-test, p > 0.05), indicating that these factors would not significantly affect the study results. Conclusion: The results indicate that healthcare workers possess basic knowledge of hand hygiene and glove use, but gaps exist in handwashing techniques and the management of long nails and jewelry. Continuous education significantly improves practice, particularly in high-risk clinics. Implementation of guidelines, proper glove use, and ongoing education are essential to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections and enhance patient safety

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