Educating Smaller Rural Hospital Infection Control (IC) Nurses, Victoria, Australia

ISSUE: Surveillance is a complex task that requires many elements to be addressed for data to be correctly reported. This includes the consistent application of data collection criteria by appropriately educated persons. Education programs for rural IC persons may require special attention for two reasons. In comparison to a program for their urban counterparts (1) the content may differ because of their unique practice environments and (2) different delivery approaches may need to be used. PROJECT: Late 2003 a surveillance program for the Victorian smaller hospitals ( Educational strategies implemented included a half day pre-workshop, distribution of an instructional manual and bimonthly ‘E-bulletin’ and access to a web based interactive learning package. These strategies as necessary were supported by site visits, phone calls and email contact. Pre and post implementation of the education plan, each pilot nurse was interviewed at least once by the same VICNISS Coordinating Centre IC nurse. A primary aim of this evaluative process was to determine the most suitable format(s) for delivery of education. RESULTS: The designated IC hours for the pilot nurses averaged 6.5 hours per week. Nine of the 10 nurses who travelled between 29 and 175 kilometres (one way) to attend the workshop listed it as the most successful strategy. (Three VICNISS staff travelled 287 kilometres (one way)). All used the VICNISS manual at least 5 times. Eight agreed ‘information was easy to find.’ All had access to computers however 4 shared with other colleagues. Nine self reported their computer skills as ‘basic’. Four had previously completed an online education course. Eight accessed the web based interactive learning package- 5 ‘once only’. Six recalled receiving and reading the E-bulletins. LESSONS LEARNED: In the pilot rural region, the IC nurses preferred the more traditional forms of education delivery, such as the workshop. Possible reasons for the low uptake of the information technology educational strategies were limited computer access and skills.