Project Details
Description
This thesis describes the link nurse role and link nurse programs in the context of acute care hospitals. It aims to explain how current programs could be improved to support ICLN, to evaluate the effectiveness of ICLN programs in improving compliance with infection prevention and control guidelines and, finally, to provide strategies for further implementation of these programs. The main research questions are:
I. What are the characteristics and success factors of link nurses and link nurse programs in acute care hospitals?
II. What are the effects of infection control link nurse programs on IPC processes and outcomes?
III. How can link nurse programs be effectively implemented?
I. What are the characteristics and success factors of link nurses and link nurse programs in acute care hospitals?
II. What are the effects of infection control link nurse programs on IPC processes and outcomes?
III. How can link nurse programs be effectively implemented?
Key findings
In two-thirds of Dutch hospitals, specially trained nurses raise awareness of infection prevention in their own departments and motivate colleagues to apply infection prevention measures. These infection control link nurses, are supported in their activities by infection prevention experts with locally designed programs. Due to this local nature, knowledge on how best to design, implement and maintain such programs is not sufficiently used and hindering and facilitating factors are not always recognized.
In this thesis we have synthesized this knowledge. It shows that elements that facilitate the support of these nurses include a clear role profile, training in implementation skills, involvement from the entire infection prevention team, support from hospital and department management, and contact with other link nurses. At the departmental level, action plans help to structure activities. Involving stakeholders and going through a full quality cycle are important prerequisites for successful implementation of these programs.
In this thesis we have synthesized this knowledge. It shows that elements that facilitate the support of these nurses include a clear role profile, training in implementation skills, involvement from the entire infection prevention team, support from hospital and department management, and contact with other link nurses. At the departmental level, action plans help to structure activities. Involving stakeholders and going through a full quality cycle are important prerequisites for successful implementation of these programs.