Mrs Kate Manserra
Biography:
Kate Manserra is the Nurse Clinical Coordinator for Infection Prevention and Management with NT Health Primary Health Services in the Central Australia Region.
As part of the Quality and Safety team she provides IPC and Staff Health oversight to 19 remote health centres in Central Australia, Prison Health services, and urban community nursing, allied health, and aged care services in Alice Springs.
Kate completed a Masters in Global Public Health at Griffith University in 2020, and a Graduate Certificate in Health Protection at the University of Tasmania in 2023. Her special areas of interest are immunisation, environmental hygiene, infectious diseases, and wounds.
Abstract:
Background: Environmental hygiene is essential for infection prevention; however, many remote health centres in the Northern Territory lack dedicated cleaning staff. Cleaning responsibilities are often undertaken by nurses or locally employed Aboriginal staff with multiple competing duties and little or no formal training in cleaning. Inconsistent cleaning practices and low awareness of environmental hygiene standards were reflected in audit findings.
Methods: Surveys were conducted with Aboriginal health centre staff, nurse managers, and remote area nurses to assess knowledge, training experience, and preferred education methods. Findings informed the development of a culturally safe environmental hygiene training program comprising a practical workbook, visual resources, workplace health and safety information, step-by-step cleaning guides, and a competency-based assessment checklist. The program was co-designed with Aboriginal Health Workforce colleagues to ensure cultural appropriateness and accessibility.
Results: Training was delivered to 13 participants across three remote health centres and a correctional health service. Participants reported no previous formal cleaning education and expressed a strong preference for face-to-face, practical training. A one-day delivery model proved most effective, improving completion rates and reducing travel burden. Managers valued the workbook as a sustainable resource for onboarding and ongoing reference.
Conclusion: Practical, culturally safe education can strengthen environmental hygiene standards in remote healthcare settings. Investing in workforce development for cleaning staff is essential to achieving equitable infection prevention outcomes and recognising cleaning as a critical component of multidisciplinary healthcare delivery.