Date of Conferral
12-10-2024
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Joanne Minnick
Abstract
In long-term care (LTC) settings, common causes of morbidity among residents are caused primarily by healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). It is essential to address the practice problem of knowledge deficits of the appropriate infection control and prevention practices for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in LTC settings to mitigate this risk and provide safe and quality care to provide optimal patient outcomes. Hence, this doctoral project’s purpose was to develop and implement a staff education project to increase nursing staff knowledge of the appropriate infection control and prevention practices for LTC settings to achieve safe and optimal patient outcomes. The project addressed the following question: Will educating nurses on MDROs improve knowledge of infection control and prevention practices in LTC settings? A staff education module was developed with pretest and posttest knowledge assessments. A paired samples t-test analysis was conducted from the scores. The results of the paired t test showed a significant increase in nursing staff knowledge scores post implementation with a p value of < 0.05. The mean score of the pretest was 60.3 and posttest score mean was 86.3. Therefore, the staff education project supports the importance of educating staff on infection control and prevention to decrease the risk of transmission of MDROs in LTC settings. Based on the evidence, it is recommended that this training be given annually and upon onboarding new staff to the unit. This education project empowered nursing staff with the knowledge to change their practice to provide safe and quality care to the residents. Furthermore, the knowledge of appropriate isolation practices allows residents to have a more home-like environment without highly resistive precautions, causing them to feel isolated, discriminated against, and signaled out.
Recommended Citation
Hester-Pugh, Tanza, "Staff Education on Multidrug-Resistant Organisms and Infection Control and Prevention Practices in Long-Term Care Settings" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17079.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17079
