Re-thinking microbiology/infection control education to enhance the practice-readiness of health professional students: More than just a curriculum issue

Abstract

Undergraduate education in the health professions is intended to

Suboptimal infection prevention and control in the healthcare culture

“…16,17 According to Fuller et al, 18 the majority of explanations (68%) by healthcare workers (HCWs) for suboptimal IPC practice focus on the point of care and in the main describe cognitive states that limit appropriate responses to infection risk: forgetting, concentration on other tasks (42%) and knowledge deficit (26%). Other cognitive states reported in the literature include confusion, 18,17 misconceptions, 19 inadequate motivation, 20,1 lack of awareness of specific expectations, 21 little confidence, 14 and selfassessment biases. 22 In addition organisational factors account for 9% of explanations 18 and involve heavy workload, 11,20 insufficient allocation of resources, 12,18,15 unsupportive management 11,5,2 and inconsistencies in implementation and interpretation of guidelines.…”

“…22 In addition organisational factors account for 9% of explanations 18 and involve heavy workload, 11,20 insufficient allocation of resources, 12,18,15 unsupportive management 11,5,2 and inconsistencies in implementation and interpretation of guidelines. 19 Improvement strategies applied to date have mainly addressed the point of care, 23,24 resulting in shortterm success with compliance rates tending to return to baseline. 25,26,27 A literature review concluded a broader view is necessary.…”

“…The IPC knowledge base of HCWs is found to be consistently unsatisfactory. 19 66 report only 45% of HCWs correctly identified scenarios in which IPC actions should be taken, with more than half not knowing MRSA lives on surfaces for days and alcohol rubs are the most effective not for citation purposes…”

“…Poor role modelling by mentors, supervisors and colleagues lessens perception of the importance of IPC and necessity of good practices is portrayed as "an additional extra rather than integral to care." 19 Poor practice can be learned in the absence of appropriate role models and accountability. 5 Among HCWs there is pressure to 'fit in'.…”

The Microbiology Effect: A Call for Education Research

“…Cox et al skillfully describe the link between nursing education and clinical practice, and provide a roadmap for future studies (6). In this issue of JMBE , microbiologist and educator Andrea Rediske describes how taking microbiology impacted her personal experiences within a hospital setting (9).…”