Browsing by Author "Priyanthi, W.N."

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Open Access
Assessment of ICU Nurses’ Knowledge and Identi fying Barriers in Preventi ng Venti lator-Associated Pneumonia in Adult ICUs: A Study at the Nati onal Hospital, Kandy
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Weerasinghe, I.G.T.J.; Srimali, U.H.I.; Herath, H.M.A.N.; Andarawewa, M.R.B.S.S.; Shopijen, E.; Priyanthi, W.N.
Criti cal care services are costly, and the pati ents with indicati ons for prolonged intubati on are highly vulnerable to Venti lator Associated Pneumonia (VAP), which prolongs their hospital stay and raises the cost of treatment. In Southeast Asia, the prevalence of VAP ranges between 16.2% to 74.2%, with the mortality rate of 30 %. This study aimed to assess Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses’ knowledge of VAP and identi fy the barriers in VAP preventing on at the settings of adult ICUs in National Hospital Kandy. A descriptive cross-cti onal approach was used, and data were collected from 132 nurses working in diff erent Intensive Care Units from July 24 to July 30, 2023. Knowledge and practices regarding VAP prevention were identi fi ed through a structured self-administered questi onnaire. Results indicated that a significant number of nurses (73.48%) possessed good knowledge on VAP bundle and 25% were aware of radiological changes related to VAP. Additi onally, poor knowledge regarding cleaning and the changing frequency of venti lator circuits were identified among nurses, as 13.64% and 1.32% were knowledgeable in those areas respecti vely. Most ICU nurses adhered to the established infecti on control practices (86.36%), while some barriers were identified, including low visitor’s adherence to infection control, inadequate staffing and the absence of laminar airflow in ICUs. Despite the challenges all the ICU nurses expressed willingness to engage in VAP preventive strategies, and 93.2% of them were seeking further education. In conclusion the findings from this study emphasize the need for training and improved support for VAP preventi on in ICUs.
Open Access
Determinant Factors of Hospital Food Waste in Surgical and Medical Wards at the Teaching Hospital, Kuliyapitiya
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Nawarathna, N.M.J.K.; Bodhirathne, B.A.K.; Iddamalgoda, I.G.C.J.; Jayamaha, J.H.N.P.; Jayathilake, S; Priyanthi, W.N.
Food waste is a global health issue challenging sustainable development. The Ministry of Health has reported that the monthly wasted food amount in Teaching Hospital Kuliyapiti ya as six thousand kilograms per month and 30% of that food is provided by the hospital. Hospital food waste has significant social, economic, and nutritional impacts. This study aimed to determine the factors affecting g hospital-supplied food waste among in-patients of medical and surgical wards at Teaching Hospital Kuliyapiti ya (THK). This was a quanti tati ve descripti ve study. The patients of age in between 20 to 60 years admitted to medical and surgical wards at THK who were having hospital diet as the meal, was selected as the sample for this study. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive stati sti cs were computed to analyse data using SPSS version 23. The results showed that 48.5% of the participants were dissatisfied with Lunch and 57.8% of the participants were dissatisfied with chewing status of the food. The findings of the study concluded that the most common factors for hospital food waste as; timing of dinner serving, courtesy of the staff who serve food, dissatisfaction with the dining places, poor venti lati on of dining places and the dissati sfacti on of the hygienic condition of serving food. Moreover, inappropriate temperature of serving food and dissatisfied taste of the food were also reported as the most common factors for food waste.
Open Access
Knowledge and Practi ces on Episiotomy Care Among Primiparous Mothers Who Have Undergone Normal Vaginal Delivery in the Obstetric Unit of the District General Hospital, Ampara
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Pradeepika, K.L.S.N.; Dharmasena, P.M.D.M.; Kumari, U.H.B.E.S.; Kumari, H.P.D.I.; Yasarathne, G.A.G.S.; Priyanthi, W.N.
An episiotomy is a surgical incision made through the perineum, to provide a sufficient space within the vaginal canal for the delivery of the baby. Nowadays, according to different obstetric protocols, 10-90% of women giving birth will have an episiotomy. However, episiotomy care and its associated complications can be influenced by the knowledge and practice of mothers. This study investigated the knowledge and practice among primiparous mothers regarding episiotomy care. This was a quanti tati ve, descriptive study in which a convenience sampling method was used. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain data from the participants. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS (version 26). The findings show that 62.5% of primiparous mothers have adequate knowledge, 26.1% have moderate knowledge of episiotomy care and only 11.4% have inadequate knowledge. Interestingly, 96.6% of primiparous mothers showed adequate knowledge about the importance of taking medicines given by the hospital correctly, to prevent infection of the episiotomy incision and to speed up the recovery. When considering practice, 36.4% of primiparous mothers have adequate practice levels which is low compared to the knowledge on episiotomy care. According to the correlation on studies, it was found that those who believe in herbal remedies (P=0.351) are more likely to use hot water for cleaning and showed strong correlations in certain practice sees such as washing hands before and after cleaning the incision, changing sanitary pads every 4 hours (P=.475) and washing the genital area with correct practices (P=0.420) suggesting primiparous mothers who believe in herbal remedies may be more likely to be health-conscious in general. Studying these patterns and trends will be useful for the identification of potential risk factors associated with certain factors, public health campaigns, targeted interventions, and future research activities.
Open Access
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Antenatal Care among Husbands of Primiparous Mothers Attending Antenatal Clinics at De Soysa Maternity Hospital in Colombo
(School of Nursing, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2025-10-10) Abeyweera, K.C.; Thennakoon, T.M.A.S.; Dilrukshi, H.N.S.; Lakmali, A.D.P.; Yasarathne, G; Priyanthi, W.N.
Antenatal care (ANC) aims to monitor the health status of the mother and her baby during the antenatal period. In the Sri Lankan cultural setting, husbands play a major role as decision makers in the family context, and their knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) positively impact maternal health. These factors help prevent complications during the antenatal period, enable early detection of risk factors, timelytreatment, and ensure access to health facilities. A quantitative non-experimental research study was conducted at the antenatal clinic of De Soysa Maternity Hospital in Colombo to assess KAP regarding ANC among husbands of primiparous mothers attending the clinic. A total of 250 husbands of primiparous mothers were subjected to a self-administered questionnaire over a period of two months. The study demonstrated significant associations between socio-demographic factors and husbands’ KAP regarding antenatal care. Education was strongly correlated with knowledge (r = 0.402, p < 0.001), and younger husbands (18–24 years) showed better knowledge compared to older husbands. Attitudes were significantly influenced by ethnicity (r = –0.213, p = 0.001) and religion (r = –0.127, p = 0.046), indicating variation in favourability across groups. In contrast, practice showed no significant association with income (r = 0.090, p = 0.158). The study highlights the importance of focused, culturally sensitive interventions to promote active husband participation during the antenatal period. In conclusion, the study provides valuable insights into husbands' involvement in antenatal care. Variables such as age, education, ethnicity, and religion influenced knowledge and attitudes. These findings support efforts to strengthen male involvement for better maternal and child health outcomes.