Nursing knowledge of hepatitis – 25 years later

Abstract

This is a survey of nurses’ and nursing students’ knowledge about hepatitis A and B and the results are compared with a similar survey of 25 years ago. Questionnaires were given to registered nurses, healthcare assistants and first and third year student nurses during May 2009. In 2009, more participants knew about the transmission of hepatitis B compared with those in 1984. However, in 1984 and 2009, there was ignorance about hepatitis B’s long incubation period and faecal-oral transmission of hepatitis A. Third year students demonstrated better understanding than first years in their knowledge of hepatitis A, B and C. It is encouraging that there has been an increase in the knowledge about hepatitis B transmission. Knowledge about hepatitis A remains poor and it is still being confused with hepatitis B. The overall knowledge about the hepatic viruses remains low and highlights an educational need among today’s nurses.