JAMDA
Volume 9, Issue 5 , Pages 342-346, June 2008

Nursing Staff Perceptions of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Infection Control in a Long-Term Care Facility

  • Rachel Wolf, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Emory University School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA
    • Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to Rachel Wolf, MPH, Atlanta Veterans Medical Center, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA 30033.
    • ,
  • Donna Lewis, MSN, NP

      Affiliations

    • Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA
    • ,
  • Ronda Cochran, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
    • ,
  • Chesley Richards, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.

published online 01 May 2008.

Objectives

To assess perceptions of nursing staff regarding methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), infection control (IC) and prevention strategies, barriers to IC, and IC resources.

Design

Cross-sectional mixed methods study.

Setting

Atlanta Veterans Affairs (VA) long-term care facility (LTCF).

Participants

Forty-two direct-care nursing staff employed at the LTCF during August 2006.

Measurements

Health Belief Model (HBM) guided the development of 6 focus group discussions combined with a quantitative form assessing 5 IC practices, risk perceptions, and sources of IC information.

Results

Only 59% of participants perceived that MRSA posed a risk to patients. Consistency of self-reported IC practices varied by specific behavior. Lack of supplies (26%) and lack of information/communication (24%) were reported as primary barriers to IC. All participants perceived patient behavior as a barrier, and all were interested in additional education about MRSA and IC. Comparing nurses with nursing assistants (NAs), nurses more frequently reported the IC professional as the most trusted information source (60% versus 0%, P < .005); NAs were more likely to trust the charge nurse (77% versus 4%, P < .001).

Conclusion

These results suggest that the perceptions regarding the real threat of MRSA and infection transmission that would drive IC prevention behaviors in this high-risk population vary among nursing staff, as do nursing staff IC practices. This study provides insight into the complex educational and other strategies needed to implement multilevel, multidimensional IC in LTCFs.

Keywords: Long-term care, infection control, nursing staff, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

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 The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 The authors have no conflicts of interest pertaining to this article.

PII: S1525-8610(08)00094-7

doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2008.02.003

JAMDA
Volume 9, Issue 5 , Pages 342-346, June 2008

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