KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES REGARDING SURGICAL ATTIRE AMONG OPERATING THEATER STAFF: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY FROM TWO PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN DERA ISMAIL KHAN, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a major cause of healthcare-associated morbidity, prolonged hospital stay, and increased cost, and appropriate surgical attire is among the most important barriers against microbial transmission in the operating theater (OT). This study assessed the knowledge, practices, and attitudes of OT staff regarding surgical attire at two public-sector hospitals in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted using census sampling of all 140 OT staff (surgeons, anesthetists, scrub nurses, circulating nurses, surgical technicians, and anesthesia technicians). A self-designed questionnaire covering demographics, knowledge, practice, and attitude was used. Data were analyzed in SPSS v23 using descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square tests (p ≤ 0.05). Results:  Although 70.7% of staff correctly identified the prevention of microbial contamination as the primary purpose of surgical attire, 81% of circulating nurses believed it was for comfort. Practice gaps were substantial: 34.3% reported never wearing sterile gloves, 34.3% rarely changed contaminated attire, and 62.9% did not consistently follow proper hand-hygiene technique. Occupation was significantly associated with both knowledge and practice (p < 0.05). On a Likert-based compliance scale, surgeons and anesthetists achieved “Excellent” compliance (84.4–100%), scrub nurses and surgical technicians fell into “Good” to “Very Good” categories, and anesthesia technicians and circulating nurses recorded the lowest compliance (“Fair” to “Good”). Conclusion: Considerable knowledge and practice gaps regarding surgical attire exist among OT support staff. Targeted training, supervision, and regular audits are urgently needed, particularly for technician and nursing support cadres.

Keywords: Surgical Attire; Operating Theater Staff; Surgical Site Infections; Knowledge and Practice