Influence of on-the-job Training on the Healthcare Associated Infections Prevention Among Nurses in Selected Federal Teaching Hospitals in Southwest, Nigeria

Implementing IPC measures is contingent upon health-care workers receiving adequate training and demonstrating competence to reduce Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). This study examined the influence of on-the-job training (OJT) on HAI prevention among nurses in selected federal teaching hospitals in Southwest Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were collected from 344 nurses using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, simple linear regression, ANOVA, and chi-square tests were employed for data analysis, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results revealed that 82.8% of the respondents were female, and 60.2% possessed a Bachelor of Nursing Science degree. About 60.2% of nurses demonstrated good on-the-job training status. A significant negative correlation existed between OJT scores and HAI incidence (r = − 0.302, p < 0.001), indicating that higher-quality training was associated with fewer HAIs. Regression analysis confirmed that training significantly predicted HAI scores (β = − 0.061, p < 0.001), explaining 9.1% of the variance, while mixed linear modeling demonstrated that training remained a strong determinant of lower HAI scores even after adjusting for gender, education, and experience. The study concludes that structured, continuous, and competency-based OJT significantly enhances nurses’ capacity to prevent HAIs. It is recommended that healthcare policymakers institutionalize periodic, practical, and evidence-based OJT programs and establish mentorship frameworks that support consistent skill transfer and compliance with IPC standards across Nigerian teaching hospitals.