Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Nurses on the Use of Glutaraldehyde in Urology Departments at Three Hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2025-12-08
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background:
Glutaraldehyde is a widely used high-level disinfectant for reprocessing heat-sensitive urological instruments such as endoscopes. Although effective when used properly, improper handling or inadequate knowledge of reprocessing protocols can expose patients to healthcare-associated infections and staff to chemical hazards. Despite its widespread use in Ethiopian hospitals, there is limited data on nurses’ knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding glutaraldehyde use in urology departments.
Objective:
To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of nurses on the safe and effective use of glutaraldehyde for urological instrument reprocessing in three tertiary hospitals in Addis Ababa—Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, and Minilik II Comprehensive Specialized Hospital.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study conducted from September 1–30, 2025, by including all nurses working in the urology departments of the three hospitals. Data collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic information, knowledge, attitude, and practice components. A descriptive analysis was used to report the percentages and frequencies. The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were analyzed using an Independent t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson’s correlation tests.
Results:
A total of 42 urology department nurses participated in the survey. Half of the nurses exhibited average knowledge and only a minority (14.3%) had adequate knowledge.78.6% of nurses demonstrated a strong Positive Attitude toward safety. However, this attitude did not translate into safe practice, as 46.3% of participants demonstrated Inadequate Practice, and only 2.4% achieved an Adequate Practice score. A significant finding was the perceived lack of institutional support: 58.5% strongly disagreed that their workplace provides sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and training. Significant difference in the mean overall kAP score is found across the nurses highest professional qualification (p=0.036) and status of nurses on receiving formal training on glutaraldehyde use (p=0.007). Additionally, a significant positive correlation between knowledge-attitude (r=0.238, p0.05), and attitude-practice (r=0.02, p>0.05) was observed.
Conclusion:
Despite a generally positive attitude and a portion of nurses achieving adequate knowledge, the concerning finding of inadequate practice and the strong perception of lack of resource, adequate training and written, facility-specific standard operating procedures brings a critical challenge. Urgent, interventions are needed to prevent patient infection risk and bring occupational health.
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Keywords
Glutaraldehyde, High Level Disinfection, Endoscope Reprocessing, Infection Prevention, Occupational Safety