Assessment of Preparedness among Nurses Approaching Retirement in a Tertiary Institution, North-Central, Nigeria (Published)
Retirement is a challenging transition for many nurses, often involving loss of identity, reduced sense of value, and concerns about financial security, social isolation, and routine changes, especially for those who are inadequately prepared.This study assesses retirement preparedness among nurses at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital by examining their knowledge, level of preparedness, perceptions of retirement life, factors influencing preparedness, and plans for life after retirement. The descriptive survey design was adopted to gather data from 346 nurses aged 50 years and above who are within ten years of the mandatory retirement age. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of retirement preparedness, level of preparedness, perceptions, influencing factors, and retirement plans. Findings of the study shows that most nurses, despite being experienced and educated, have limited knowledge of retirement preparedness. While some plan financially, many lack clear strategies for health, well-being, and income. Perceptions are mixed, and preparedness is influenced by financial, personal, and institutional factors. Knowledge significantly affects preparedness, but gender does not. The study concludes that despite awareness of retirement planning; significant gaps remain among nurses. It recommends stronger institutional support through retirement education, financial literacy, and accessible pension advisory services to promote smoother transitions, improve well-being, and support sustainable workforce planning.
Keywords: Nurses, Perception, Preparedness, institutional support, pension scheme, retirement planning
Knowledge, Attitude and Perceptions on Infection Prevention and Control among Primary Healthcare Workers in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State: A cross sectional study (Published)
Exposure to infectious diseases is one of the most frequently identified occupational hazards facing healthcare workers. This study was aimed at determining the knowledge, attitude and perceptions regarding infection prevention and control (IPC) among primary healthcare workers in Calabar municipality. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was adopted using a structured questionnaire to elicit information from 359 healthcare workers drawn from 9 primary healthcare facilities. All data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 25. The results indicate that 62.7% of the respondents had heard about IPC. The Major source of information was training (61.8%). Majority (72.4%) of the respondents knew that hand hygiene is highly effective in preventing Hospital acquired Infections (HAIs). Among the respondents, 80.2% knew that hand washing should be done before and after contacts with patient, 84.12%, knew that changing gloves while working with different patients reduce the risk of infection transmission, however, only 22.56% knew that chemical sterilization technique cannot be used for all equipment. Summarily, 64.3% of the respondents had good level of knowledge. Majority of the respondents (88.3%) were found to have positive attitude regarding IPC, and 81.6% had good perceptions towards infection prevention and control. Though majority of the healthcare workers were found to have high knowledge levels, positive attitude and good perceptions regarding IPC, there is still need for primary healthcare facility leadership to organize regular training to further improve on healthcare workers’ knowledge on IPC.
Keywords: Knowledge, Perception, attitude, infection prevention and control, primary healthcare