Abstract

Aim: This study was planned as a descriptive trial to evaluate the knowledge levels of cleaning personnel, who work at Izmir Tepecik Training Research and Hospital, before and after the internal education program about hospital hygiene, chlorine tablets use and medical waste. Materials and Methods: A survey of 13 questions was administered before and after the training lectures to 210 cleaning personel. Findings: Age range of personnel of the cleaning firm was 19-48 years old (mean: 28.8±13.3 years), and 58.6% was male. 54.8% of the personnel were graduated only from the primary school. 55.7% of personnel was since of working 0-12 months 9.04% of the personnel were experienced an occupational injury during work. Incisory and perforating injuries were at the first line with 47.4% in distribution of injury types. Cleaning personnel answered “Yes” at a ratio of 94.3% to the question whether they were under the risk of hepatitis. 79.4% of the personnel answered correctly the question about the route of getting hepatitis infection. The question about the accurate glove use was answered correctly by 78.5% of the personnel before the lecture, whereas the ratio was increased to 82.9% after the lecture. The question about the discharge of incisoryperforating tools was answered correctly by 36.8% of the personnel before the lecture, whereas the ratio was increased to 53.3% after the lecture. Conclusion: Behaviors of the cleaning personnel as well as the healthcare staff are important factors in both constitution and prevention of nosocomial infections. Although committees define the protocols to control infections, the sensitivity of the all hospital personnel, who apply these protocols, about this issue is very important. It is required that all of the hospital personnel should receive in-service training programs periodically regardless of age, gender, education level and working duration. Periodical repetitions of the training are supposed to provide the targeted behavioral changes in individuals.