The Effect of Clinical Observations on Nursing Students' Compliance with Standard Precautions: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections pose a significant global challenge, highlighting the need for enhanced knowledge and practices among healthcare professionals. This study investigates the impact of clinical observations on nursing students' compliance with standard precautions.

Methods: Employing a cross-sectional descriptive design, the study surveyed 405 nursing students using a 'Personal Information Form', the 'Nurses' Observations on Infection Control and Prevention Questionnaire', the 'Standard Precautions Scale', and the 'Factors Affecting Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale'.

Results: The mean scores for the Nurses' Observations on Infection Control and Prevention Questionnaire, the Standard Precautions Scale, and the Factors Affecting Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale were 33.39±12.98, 10.93±4.79, and 53.38±10.35, respectively. A significant negative correlation was found between students' observations on infection control and their compliance with standard precautions (r=-.254, p<0.01), with their observations explaining only 6% of the variance in compliance.

Discussion: The findings suggest that the influence of nursing students' observations during clinical practice on their compliance to standard precautions is minimal.

Conclusion: This study highlights the necessity of developing more effective strategies to improve nursing students' compliance to standard precautions, extending beyond observational learning alone.