Joanne Tropea1,2, Noleen Bennett1,2, Robyn Smith2, Deirdre Fetherstonhaugh3, Lyn-li Lim1, Kirsty Buising1,2, Wen Kwang Lim1,2, and Sanne Peters2
1 Royal Melbourne Hospital Parkville, VIC 3050, Joanne.Tropea@mh.org.au, 2 University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3050, 3 La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3083
Abstract:
Quality infection prevention and control (IPC) in residential aged care is essential for the safety and wellbeing of residents and staff. Improving and sustaining good IPC practice in residential aged care can be challenging and often requires multiple strategies and several stakeholders.
Barriers impede the uptake of best practice and enablers improve the likelihood of success. Barriers and enablers can be individual or team factors (skills, beliefs), organisational or system factors (resources, physical), or related to characteristics of the intervention itself (complexity).
During this presentation, the IMpleMenting Effective infection prevention and control in ReSidential aged carE (IMMERSE) study will be referenced. IMMERSE uses a behavioural approach to identify factors that influence priority IPC practice among residential aged care staff. Findings from our in-depth exploration of barriers and enablers to achieve best practice IPC, and strategies to overcome or enhance them will be described.
The challenges and opportunities for enabling best practice IPC in aged care will be discussed. These include opportunities such as tapping into available resources. Recognising that practice change takes time and resources, and IPC leads cannot do this in isolation. The ongoing engagement of leaders and staff and support from facility/organisational leaders is essential.