Knowledge, perception, performance, and attitude regarding hand hygiene and related factors among infection control nurses in South Korea: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the current status of knowledge, perception, attitude, and role model regarding hand hygiene (HH) among infection control nurses (ICNs) and identified the factors influencing these variables. METHODS: A structured questionnaire was adapted from a World Health Organization survey. Data were collected from November 8, 2017, to February 2, 2018. RESULTS: ICNs showed the following scores (mean ± SD): knowledge (19.5 ± 2.3), perception (69.9 ± 8.9), attitude (46.9 ± 5.8), and role model (39.2 ± 6.0). HH performance of health care workers (HCWs) was 75.2 ± 15.5. Mean HH performance scores of HCWs (P = .007) differed significantly according to infection control experience (3 groups: ≤12 months, 13-24 months, >24 months). Perception, attitude, and role model scores showed positive correlations with each other (P < .01). The regression model for HH performance of HCWs was calculated as follows: Y1 = 31.638 + 0.067X1 (perception of ICNs) + 0.133X2 (attitude of ICNs) + 0.825X3 (role model of ICNs) (P < .001; adjusted R2 = 0.115). DISCUSSION: Perception, attitude, and role model scores of ICNs were significant predictors of HH performance of HCWs. CONCLUSIONS: Specialized well-structured HH education programs should be developed for ICNs that will help improve HH performance of HCWs.

The Present Situation of Infection Control Professionals, Organization, and Activities in Korean Acute Care General Hospitals / 병원감염관리

BACKGROUND: It has been more than 15 years since infection control was first introduced in Korea, but there is little information available on the status of infection control program in the country. METHODS: Included in the study were 139 acute care hospitals with more than 300 inpatient beds. A questionnaire, modified from US SENIC (Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control) and Canadian RICH (Resources for Infection Control in Canadian Acute Care Hospitals) survey, was mailed to the hospitals in the winter of 2003. RESULTS: Ninety-eight (70.5%) of 139 hospitals responded. There was an average of 1.2 (SD, 0.7) Infection Control Practitioners (lCPs) in each hospital and 95.7% were nurses and only 56.5% of the ICPs worked as full-time. The 71.4% of the hospitals had a position for Infection Control Doctor. All hospitals had an Infection Control Committee, which met an average of 3.7 (SD, 1.7) times a year. The 85.7% of the hospitals performed surveillance, but only 31.6% were monitoring surgical site infections. Review of microbiology data was the most common method for case-finding. More than 90% of the hospitals had infection control policies and guidelines, but an adherence to the policies and guidelines was not monitored regularly. CONCLUSION: This study reports the first comparable profile of infection control program of general acute care hospitals in Korea. Although the foundation for infection control program appears to have been established, there is the need for a further increase in the number of ICPs, the standardization of the surveillance method, and the promotion of adherence to the infection control guidelines.