ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify awareness and competency for Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDRO) infection control in nursing students with experience of clinical practice.METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from March 2019 to May 2019 by including 231 nursing students in four nursing schools located in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do and Chungcheongnam-do. The data were collected using self-report questionnaires.RESULTS: The awareness and the competency for Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infection control were lower than that of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The agreement between the awareness and the competency of MDRO infection control in participants was low with regard to isolation, contact precautions, and disinfection for MRSA. Also, it was low with respect to disinfection, isolation, contact precautions, and carrier identification for CRE. The awareness and the competency of MDRO infection control exhibited significant positive correlation.CONCLUSION: The infection control competency is required to prevent MDRO infection. In order to enhance the infection control competency, it is important to raise awareness about MDRO infection control by providing education based on the guidelines and the principles of infection control.