Knowledge and Practices on Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) of HIV among Nurses Working in Medical-Surgical Units of BPKIHS, Nepal. -

Background: Hospital staffs, especially the nurses who have direct contact with patients and body substances are at higher risk of occupational hazards. Objectives: To assess the knowledge and practice regarding post exposure prophylaxis of HIV among the nurses and to find out association between Knowledge and selected demographic variables. Methodology: Descriptive study design was adopted for the study. The study was conducted among the nurses working in medical-surgical units of BPKIHS. Forty Nurses working in medical and surgical units of BPKIHS were selected by stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected by using semi structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (Percentage, Mean and SD) was used for describing demographic Profile and inferential statistics (Chi-squire) was used to find out association. Result: Majority of the respondents fall in the group of 20-25 years, mean age=24.28, 87.2 % were staff nurses. Regarding the knowledge about PEP, 89.7 % knew the meaning of post exposure prophylaxis of HIV. 82.9 % had the knowledge regarding the first aid for an occupational exposure. Regarding the practice of PEP, only 15.4 % of respondents' seeked help from the health care provider after exposure, only 17.9 % informed to the in-charge on duty after exposure, and only 12.8% received ARV after exposure. Conclusion: Knowledge regarding PEP was found to be satisfactory in majority of respondents but practice was found to be less and there is no association between the knowledge and practice of PEP of HIV with demographic variables.