Nurses’ Knowledge and Practices in Preventing Surgical Site Infections: A Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs) cause significant morbidity, longer hospital stays, and higher healthcare costs. Nurses play a key role in SSI prevention through evidence-based practices, yet a variation exists in the knowledge and practice of nurses in the prevention of SSI. Thus, this study assessed nurses' knowledge and practices regarding SSI prevention and factors influencing these outcomes. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 160 nurses from a tertiary care health center in northern India using the nonprobability convenience sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire on demographics, knowledge, and practices. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and logistic regression were applied (P < 0.05) to analyze the data. RESULTS: Overall, 66.9% had good knowledge, while 45.6% demonstrated good practice. Knowledge and practice were weakly correlated (r = 0.08, P = 0.36). Postgraduate education, training, and work area significantly influenced practice. CONCLUSION: Although nurses had adequate knowledge, fewer applied it effectively. Continuous education, monitoring, and institutional support are crucial to enhance SSI prevention and patient safety.