Table 2.
Increased workload associated with exposures and outbreaks of organisms in health care settings reported by IPs and staff nurses
| IPs | Staff nurses | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N (%) reporting experience with pathogen | <30 min | 30–60 min | >60 min | N (%) reporting experience with pathogen | <30 min | 30–60 min | >60 min | P value* | |
| Exposures | |||||||||
| Lice or scabies | 202 (89) | 93 (46) | 71 (35) | 38 (19) | 87 (58) | 21 (24) | 26 (30) | 40 (46) | <.001 |
| Mumps or measles | 163(71) | 24(15) | 31 (19) | 108 (66) | 64(43) | 27 (42) | 14(22) | 23 (36) | <.001 |
| Pertussis | 179(79) | 36 (20) | 71 (40) | 72 (40) | 68 (45) | 30 (44) | 20 (29) | 18(26) | <.001 |
| TB | 209 (92) | 21 (10) | 54 (26) | 134(64) | 117(78) | 19(16) | 47 (40) | 51 (44) | .002 |
| Influenza | 219(96) | 55 (25) | 74 (34) | 90(41) | 143(95) | 25(17) | 54 (38) | 64 (45) | .23 |
| Outbreaks | |||||||||
| MRSA | 189 (83) | 56 (30) | 62 (33) | 71 (38) | 149(99) | 27(18) | 67 (45) | 55 (37) | .02 |
| Other MDRO | 189 (83) | 55 (29) | 54 (29) | 80 (42) | 147(98) | 26(18) | 67 (46) | 54(37) | .003 |
| Respiratory viruses | 181 (79) | 72 (40) | 68 (38) | 41 (23) | 144(96) | 25(17) | 65 (45) | 54 (38) | <.001 |
| Clostridium difficile | 201 (88) | 34(17) | 67 (33) | 100(50) | 124(83) | 4(3) | 26 (21) | 94 (76) | <.001 |
| Gastrointestinal viruses | 202 (89) | 32 (16) | 59 (29) | 111(55) | 133(89) | 20 (15) | 55 (41) | 58 (44) | .06 |
IPs, infection preventionists; MDRO, multidrug-resistant organism; MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; TB, tuberculosis.
*
Results of the X2 test comparing infection preventionist and staff nurse responses.