A Comparative Study of Nurses Recognition and Practice Level of General Nosocomial Infection, MRSA and VRE Infection Control

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe nurses´ recognition of, and practice level in management of general nosocomial infections, and methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) infections. Method: A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were collected on June, 2003 from 190 nurses in one university affiliated hospital located in Suwon. Result: The mean score for nurses´ recognition of general nosocomial infection control was 3.57, MRSA control was 3.54, and VRE control was 3.86. The mean score on practice for control of general nosocomial infection was 3.19, for MRSA control, 3.20, and for VRE control, 3.63. There were statistically significant relationships between the recognition level and practice level for general nosocomial, MRSA, and VRE infection control. According to the general characteristics of the nurses, the mean scores for both recognition and practice were higher for those nurses who had had infection control education, for those who had worked longer in nursing, and for those who worked in the ICU. Conclusion: It is suggested that appropriate hospital infection control programs should be developed through continuous education and practice to improve nurses´ level of the practice in general infection control, and especially in MRSA and VRE infection control.