Relationship between demographic variables, nonformal education, and the infection control practitioner's knowledge...

Since methods used for surveillance have not been standardized, infection control practitioners choose a method based on peer-teaching, on-the-job training, or nonformal education programs. However, results of a previous study showed that 63% of ICPs were unsatisfied with their method of surveillance but did not know how to proceed with an alternative method. The purpose of this descriptive developmental study was to investigate the relationship between surveillance knowledge and the demographic profiles of ICPs and evaluate how this knowledge was affected by a nonformal education process (seminar). Results showed that the surveillance knowledge of ICPs was significantly (p less than 0.05) related to the hospital type and size in which they worked, their educational preparation, the years spent in infection control, the CDC course they took, and the development of an infection control program. The nonformal education process showed a significant (p less than 0.05) increase in surveillance knowledge. In summary, five demographic variables were found to be related to the surveillance knowledge of ICPs, and this knowledge was significantly increased by a nonformal educational process.