Lack of knowledge of guidelines for
IP & C— combined with an unawareness of preventive indications during daily patient care and the potential risks of transmission of microorganisms to patients— constitute barriers to IP & C compliance.”
and Epidemiologic Investigation, Identification of Infectious Disease Processes, and Environment of Care were the next highest categories with Expert self-rating( 34.9 percent, 33.7 ercent, and 29.5 percent, respectively).
Knowledge Versus Practice Gaps
When it comes to lack of compliance, one may wonder if it is a matter of a knowledge gap or a practice gap or both. As Alhumaid, et al.( 2021) note,“ Lack of knowledge of guidelines for IP & C— combined with an unawareness of preventive indications during daily patient care and the potential risks of transmission of microorganisms to patients— constitute barriers to IP & C compliance. Lack of knowledge about the appropriateness, efficacy and use of IP & C measures determine poor compliance. To overcome these barriers, education and training are the cornerstones of improvement in IP & C practices. HCWs should be aware of the fact that knowledge is power; however, lack of knowledge of IP & C measures has been repeatedly shown after education and training. HCWs’ awareness should include issues related to hand hygiene, wearing personal protective equipment( PPE), immunization for prevention of communicable diseases, modes of infection transmission, assessment of patients for infection, medical instrument decontamination, healthcare waste handling, and needle stick and sharp safety policy. Even more importantly, HCWs should be compliant to these IP & C precautions, methods and strategies to ensure HAIs reduction in healthcare settings.”
The researchers add,“ Compliance with IP & C practices, including hand hygiene and use of PPE, has been found to vary widely among HCWs and is likely influenced by one’ s knowledge about infection risk and behaviors; however, good knowledge does not necessarily predict good IP & C practice. For example, HCWs have been found to demonstrate poor compliance with hand hygiene practices despite well-established guidelines for the prevention of HAIs.” Experts weigh in with their perspectives.“ In my opinion it is a practice gap, as the knowledge is there,” says IP & C consultant Linda Goss, DNP, BS, APRN-BC, CIC, COHN-S, FAPIC.“ However, with the increased patient load on staff and increased complexity of patients, what you know to be best practice doesn’ t always happen.”
“ Sometimes it is both, says IP & C consultant Keith St. John of North Star IPC Consulting Services, LLC.“ At other times it is not a knowledge gap necessarily, but a practice gap. For example, one assumes healthcare providers understand the importance of hand hygiene, but
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may-june 2025 • www. healthcarehygienemagazine. com •
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