الفهرس 
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Abstract
Occupational blood-borne infec¬tions are associated with sig-nificant morbidity and mortality. Health care workers (HCWs) are exposed to hazardous blood-borne pathogens such as hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Viral hepatitis B&C infections are seri¬ous public health problems that can have consequences in terms of psychological and occupational diseases. HBV and HCV are common causes of occupational dis¬eases transmitted from patients to HCWs and to HCWs’ families. Fortunately, most occupational transmis¬sions can be prevented by standard pre-cautions (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015).
Aim of the study
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of primary prevention program for Infection with hepatitis B and C on Nurses’ knowledge and practices through the following:
1. Assess nurses’ knowledge about viral hepatitis B and C.
2. Assess nurses’ preventive practices about viral hepatitis B and C to detect their needs.
3. Developing and implementing of primary prevention program according to nurses’ need.
4. Evaluating the effect of primary prevention program on nurses’ knowledge and practices.
A. Research design: Quasi experimental study was used in this study to fulfill the study aim.
B. Research setting:
The current study was conducted in medical, surgical ward and intensive care unit in national liver institute (the main hospital in Middle East dealing with viral hepatitis) and medical wards in menofia university hospital in Shebin El-Kom City.
C. Sampling:
Convenient samples of 129 nurses, 12 nurses included in pilot study, the actual study sample 117 nurses, 96 nurses working at national liver institute and 21 nurses working at Menoufia university hospital:
Tools of data collections.
Two tools were used for data collection:
1st tool: Self-administered questionnaire tool to assess:
Part I: nurses’ Demographic questionnaire.
Demographic data which include age, sex, marital status, years of work , attending educational training for HBV & HCV infection, exposing to needle stick while dealing with patient and action when exposed to needle stick (Table 1) and educational level (Figure 1) (question no.1 : 8).
Part II: Nurses knowledge about HBV &HCV.
This was used to assess nurses’ knowledge about hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. It was developed by the investigator based on review of literature. In this part, the questions are formulated to gather data about the nurses’ knowledge, it consisted of 24 items as MCQs (pre, post and follow up of primary prevention of HBV &HCV the program) its include: definition of viral hepatitis, causative agent, mode of transmission, signs and symptoms, vaccination, the most important source of infection with HBV& HCV inside hospital, the most susceptible person to be infected with HBV& HCV, preventive measures of HBV& HCV, the save method of disposing needles, recapping syringe after usage, global precautions are applied for controlling infection in the following patient fluid, presence of infection control plan in the hospital and person responsible for applying infection control plan (question no. 9: 32).
2nd tool: Observational checklist before, after and follow up of application of primary prevention program which consist of two parts:
Part I: used to evaluate nurses’ done practices regarding hand washing, wearing gloves and wearing gown when dealing with patient, avoiding direct contact with infected blood, disposes of sharp equipment in safety box, exercise particular care in handling and disposal of sharps, don’t recap syringe, received hepatitis B vaccine, informed the infection control committee when exposed to needle stick, follow safe procedures for disposal of contaminated waste and covers existing wounds, skin lesions and all breaks in exposed skin with waterproof dressings. Each item was checked by direct observation by the investigator adopted from (Nadira, 2016), (from table 6 to table 10) (question no. 1: 27).
Part II: used to assess hospital environment regarding to preventing infection with HBC& HCV. Adopted from (CDC, 2015) (question no. 1: 20).
Results
The study revealed that:
The mean age of nurses was 29.01±4.84 years old; more than three quadrants were female. Most of them were married, about half of them had institute of nursing and higher half of them their years of experience were 5: 10 years. The majority of them exposed to needle stick while dealing with patient and less than one third of them informed infection control team when they exposed to needle.
Regarding effects of primary prevention program on nurses’ knowledge, the present study showed that there was a highly significant difference between nurses’ knowledge regarding viral hepatitis B&C after implementation and follow up of primary prevention program.
Regarding effects of primary prevention program on nurses’ knowledge, the present study showed that there was a highly significant difference between nurses’ knowledge regarding preventive measures of viral hepatitis B&C after implementation and follow up of primary prevention program.
According to effects of primary prevention program on nurses’ practices, the current study showed that there was a highly significant difference in nurses’ reported practices regarding preventive measures of viral hepatitis B&C after implementation and follow up of primary prevention program.
The study also asserted a highly significant correlation between nurses’ Knowledge and practice after implementation of the primary prevention program.
The study also demonstrated a highly significant correlation between nurses’ knowledge and practice in follow up of implementation of the primary prevention program.
Conclusion
Nurses in the current study lacked appropriate knowledge about HBV&HCV, most of nurses had unaccepted practices regarding preventive measures of HBV&HCV, after implementation of primary prevention significant improvements were noticed in nurses’ knowledge and practices and there was no new infection with HBV&HCV among nurses the primary prevention program was successful in attaining its aim and hypothesis.