Table 2 Survey results (n = 48a)
From: Infection control link nurse programs in Dutch acute care hospitals; a mixed-methods study
| Â | Proportion (%) |
|---|---|
* Median (IQR) | |
Characteristics of ICLN programs | |
 Goals for the program and link nurses | |
  Increase awareness for infection prevention | 46/48 (95.8) |
  Act as a role model and opinion leader | 39/48 (81.3) |
  Disseminate knowledge on infection prevention | 43/48 (89.6) |
  Act as a source of information for peers | 44/48 (91.7) |
  Contribute to development of ward based infection prevention guidelines | 24/48 (50) |
  Implement guidelines or improve adherence | 40/48 (83.3) |
  Liaise between ward and infection prevention and control team | 45/48 (93.8) |
 Qualities for link nurses to achieve program goals | |
  Enthusiastic | 17/40 (42.5) |
  Motivated | 33/40 (82.5) |
  Assertive | 3/40 (7.5) |
  Persistent | 6/40 (15) |
  Proactive | 28/40 (70) |
  Natural leader | 4/40 (10) |
  Approachable | 15/40 (37.5) |
  Resilient | 4/40 (10) |
  Responsible | 15/40 (37.5) |
  Respectful | 2/40 (5) |
Preparation of ICLN programs | |
 Mode of selection of link nurses | |
  Nominated by the ward management | 32/48 (66.7) |
  Designated by the ward management | 29/48 (60.4) |
  Approached and invited by the infection prevention and control team | 10/48 (20.8) |
  Voluntary registration | 19/48 (39.6) |
  Recruited though an application procedure | 1/48 (2.1) |
  Other modes of selection | 2/48 (4.2) |
 Health Care Workers involved | |
  Nurses | 47/48 (97.9) |
  Physicians | 1/48 (2.1) |
  Other HCW (e.g. surgical assistants, physiotherapists, laboratory technicians) | 30/48 (62.5) |
 Departments involved | |
  Inpatients Wards | 47/48 (97.9) |
  Outpatients Clinics | 36/48 (75) |
  Diagnostics – Day care | 38/48 (79.2) |
  Other departments (e.g. laboratories, operating theatre, facility services) | 30/48 (62.5) |
Education of ICLN | |
Educational program (yes) | 42/48 (87.5) |
Number of training sessions and meetings per year | |
 < 4 | 20/40 (50) |
 4 | 14/40 (35) |
 5 | 4/40 (10) |
 6 | 2/40 (5) |
Duration of training sessions or meetings (in hours) | 2 (1.4–3.3) * |
Modes of education | |
 Introduction course | |
  provided by an external party | 6/42 (14.3) |
  an in-house introduction program | 24/42 (50) |
  e-learning | 4/42 (9.5) |
 Regular training/education | |
  lectures | 32/42 (76.2) |
  skills training | 21/42 (50) |
  simulation based learning | 3/42 (7.1) |
  hospital tours and visits | 8/42 (19) |
  brainstorm sessions | 11/42 (26.2) |
  group discussion/meeting | 27/42 (64.3) |
  teambuilding sessions | 3/42 (7.1) |
Training and education of link nurses | |
 Developed by the infection prevention and control team | 32/40 (80) |
 Developed in collaboration with experts (e.g. microbiologists, education experts) | 8/40 (20) |
Topics for training and education | |
 Selected by the infection prevention and control team | 14/38 (36.8) |
 Determined by link nurses and the infection prevention and control team | 23/38 (60.5) |
Topics for education and training | |
 Planned out in an annual plan | 7/35 (20) |
 Depend on occurring events | 28/35 (80) |
Responsible for the link nurse program | |
 Mainly one infection control practitioner | 23/45 (51.1) |
 The infection prevention and control team | 11/45 (24.4) |
 Share the responsibility with other departments | 17/44 (38.6) |
Evaluation of ICLN programs | |
 Evaluation | 23/45 (51.1) |
Based on | |
- satisfaction with the program by link nurses and other stakeholders | 15/22 (68.2) |
- compliance with guidelines in relation to the activities of the link nurses | 6/23 (26.1) |
- prevalence of Nosocomial infections in relation to the activities of the link nurses | 2/23 (8.7) |
- other | 6/23 (26.1) |
Effects of Infection control link nurse programs | |
 No effect | 2/20 (10) |
 Positive effects | 17/20 (85) |
 Positive and negative effects | 1/20 (5) |