Nurses’ Level of Competency in Hospital-Acquired Infection Prevention Measures in the Philippines and Its Relationship with Selected Demographic Variable

Abstract

This descriptive-correlational study evaluated the infection prevention competency of 63 registered nurses in Philippine post-surgical wards—who were primarily aged 31–35 (38.1%), male (50.8%), and experienced for 1–2 years (60.3%)—revealing a very high level of competency across the domains of attitude (M=3.44, SD=0.50), knowledge (M=3.43, SD=0.50), and skills (M=3.42, SD=0.49). Pearson correlation analysis indicated that age (r=.270, p=.032) and educational attainment (r=.272, p=.031) had significant positive relationships with competency, whereas gender and length of clinical experience showed no statistical significance. Ultimately, the study concludes that nursing competency is driven by personal maturity and advanced education rather than sheer years on the ward, highlighting the need for continuous, structured training programs to sustain evidence-based practice and optimize patient safety.