Environmental hygiene, knowledge and cleaning practice: a phenomenological study of nurses and midwives during COVID-19

• Published in: American journal of infection control Vol. 49; no. 9; pp. 1123 - 1128
• Main Authors: Curryer, Cassie, Russo, Philip L., Kiernan, Martin, Wares, Karen D., Smith, Kate, Mitchell, Brett G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.2021; Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc
• Subjects: Compliance; COVID-19; Evidence-based learning; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Hospital design; Humans; Hygiene; Infection prevention and control; Major; Midwifery; Nurses; Organisational contexts; Pregnancy; Qualitative Research; Shared patient equipment; Hospital design; Compliance; Shared patient equipment; Infection prevention and control; Evidence-based learning; Organisational contexts
• ISSN: 0196-6553; 1527-3296
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.04.080

•COVID-19 has highlighted the criticality of environmental cleanliness within clinical settings•Workplace factors and hospital design shape compliance with IPC policies•Nurses and midwives experienced significant knowledge and cleaning barriers during COVID-19•COVID-19 increased awareness about why IPC is critical, but compliance may be short-lived•Achieving good compliance demands a concentrated team effort and continual, tailored learning. Environmental cleanliness is a fundamental tenet in nursing and midwifery but often overshadowed in practice. This study explored nurses’ and midwives’ knowledge and experiences of infection prevention and control (IPC) processes and cleaning, and perceptions about workplace risk-management during COVID-19. Six registered and enrolled nurses (one with dual midwife qualifications) were recruited. In-depth telephone interviews were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Four major themes were identified: Striving towards environmental cleanliness; Knowledge and learning feeds good practice; There's always doubt in the back of your mind; and COVID has cracked it wide open. These articulate the nurses’ and midwives’ experiences and knowledge of IPC, particularly during COVID-19. The findings emphasize the dynamic, interdependent nature of clinical (time, staff knowledge and compliance, work processes, hospital design) and organizational contexts and environmental cleanliness, which must be constantly maintained. COVID-19 opened up critical insights regarding poor past practices and lack of IPC compliance. COVID-19 has highlighted the criticality of environmental cleanliness within clinical and community settings. Evidence-based, experiential learning is important for nurses and midwives at all career stages, but provides only one solution. Clinician-led hospital design may also reduce the spread of infection; thus, promoting better patient care.