Family Experiences and Perspectives on Infection Prevention in Pediatric Long-Term Care

Abstract

Purpose Residents of pediatric long-term care facilities (pLTCF) are particularly vulnerable to healthcare-associated infections. The aims of this qualitative study were to (a) explore perspectives on infection prevention among families visiting children in pLTCF and (b) identify facilitators of and barriers to optimal hand hygiene. Design and Methods Semistructured, in-depth interviews with 10 family members visiting two New York City metropolitan area facilities were analyzed to identify themes. Findings “Everyone follows the rules” and “infections are inevitable” were primary themes. Participants reported “common sense” as a facilitator and “distraction” as a major barrier to prevention practices. Conclusion Current education for visitors may be inadequate to improve infection prevention behaviors. Clinical Relevance Nurse-led education strategies for infection prevention should be tested and modified for families visiting pLTCF.

Infection prevention and control strategies against carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae – a systematic review

“…There are documents and guidelines for HCW and informal caregivers on specific measures to prevent and control CRE infection/colonisation (Clark et al, 2018; Magiorakos et al, 2017); however, literature is scarce regarding the translation to practice and its success in preventing the dissemination of these MDR agents. HCW responsible for patient, family and other informal caregivers education should empower them on their significant roles, benefiting from specific training tailored to their needs and demands, to make them more skillful in IPC practices (Wilmont et al, 2018). Regarding HCW, IPC education is essential for an effective IPC program and thus, it must be universal and regular, using team and task-based participatory strategies (WHO, 2019).…”