Understanding infection prevention and control in nursing homes: A qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine
• Infection Prevention and Control
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Infections pose a significant challenge and priority within nursing home (NH) settings.
• Effective infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies are crucial for resident safety and well-being in NHs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the current state of infection prevention practices in nursing homes.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to implementing comprehensive IPC programs in NHs.
• To understand the perspectives of NH employees on infection control priorities and needs.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with 73 employees across 10 purposively sampled nursing homes nationwide.
• Semi-structured, open-ended interview guides were utilized to gather rich qualitative data.
• Content analysis was performed on transcribed interview data to identify emergent themes.

Main Results:

• Five key themes emerged: Residents' Needs, Roles and Training, Using Infection Data, External Resources, and Focus on Hand Hygiene.
• While hand hygiene programs were common, other recommended IPC areas received less focus.
• Many nursing homes lacked awareness of available external resources for infection prevention.

Conclusions:

• Nursing homes demonstrate a commitment to infection prevention, particularly hand hygiene.
• There is a need for enhanced training, better utilization of infection data, and increased awareness of external support.
• Standardized, effective, and efficient IPC programs in NHs remain a critical national priority.