Appraisal of the Preparedness of Midwives and Nurses in Bahrain to Conduct Early Screening for Zika Virus Infection in Pregnant Women

To appraise the awareness and knowledge levels of midwives and nurses concerning early screening for Zika virus (ZIKV) infection among pregnant women attending health care facilities in Bahrain. This was a cross-sectional, purposely chosen study of Bahraini and expatriate midwives, nurses, and supervisors employed in gynecology/obstetrics and labor wards of Salmanya hospital, a maternity hospital, 4 private hospitals, and health centers in Bahrain. The chosen individuals were invited to participate in a survey on awareness and knowledge of early screening for ZIKV infection. Of 266 midwives and nurses employed in the study sites, 170 (64%) consented to participate in the study. Of those who agreed to participate, 76 were midwives and 94 were nurses. Admittedly, 39% of midwives and nurses were unaware of ZIKV infection. The grand mean knowledge score in the study was 39%. Expatriate midwives and nurses scored better than did Bahrainis (P