Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina

: percepção do risco e atitudes de enfermeiros de um centro hospitalar

Abstract

The dissemination of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains one of the most difficult challenges for the prevention, control and treatment of healthcare associated infections. In Portugal, almost half (49%) of Staphylococcus aureus isolates in blood and CSF are Methicillin-resistant. The national infection prevalence survey, performed in 2010, shows that Staphylococcus aureus represents the most frequent agent of hospital infection, with MRSA representing 13,4% of all microbial isolates with an MRSA proportion of 69,2% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Understanding individual behavior and how it relates to risk perception is an important first step for effective control of infection. The full adoption of the recommendations for the prevention of cross-transmission of infection depends on the combination of several factors: knowledge of recommendations and their application in daily practices as well as the perception of risk. This study aims to evaluate nurses´ perception of the transmission risk of MRSA to themselves, to other professionals and for patients, and how this perception is reflected in the adoption of recommendations to prevent infection transmission. Questionnaires were applied to nurses from 10 clinical Units of a hospital centre and an interview was conducted with a nurse in each unit. We found that the majority of nurses perceived risk of acquiring MRSA for themselves, to other nurses and patients. This perception seems to influence attitudes, leading to compliance with the existing recommendations. Environmental and surface cleaning are the least implemented practices, although they are valued by nurses. We conclude that, in this context, it is essential to promote dissemination of surveillance results to all professionals as well revising the content of training courses to reflect gaps identified in actual practice

Date of Award	2011
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Antonio Sousa-Uva (Supervisor)