Date
11-17-2023
Department
School of Nursing
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Chair
Vicki Moore
Keywords
infectious diseases, assisted living facilities, health care workers, infectious disease education
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Nursing
Recommended Citation
Smith, Kathryn Joy, "The Impact of Infectious Disease Education on the Knowledge and Confidence of Assisted Living Staff" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4922.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4922
Abstract
Infectious disease outbreaks, like COVID-19, often catch much of the world by surprise, including health care workers. Health care workers faced deficits in training, resources, and staffing when responding to the pandemic. Staff of assisted living facilities fared even worse, with limited infectious disease education, infection control policies, and access to and training on personal protective equipment. Assisted living staff must have a protocol in place and have sufficient education on infectious diseases so they are prepared to respond and provide quality care to residents, should an outbreak occur. The purpose of this scholarly project was to examine the effects of an educational training program on infectious diseases on the knowledge, perception, and ability to identify and respond to an infectious disease outbreak for assisted living staff. The scholarly project was conducted at one assisted living site. Staff participation varied depending on the day the educational session was held and ranged from 12-19 participants. Participants consisted of licensed and unlicensed personnel. Infectious disease knowledge and confidence levels were tested before and after staff received infectious disease training. Staff demonstrated an improved confidence level and increased knowledge after attending the education sessions. This project demonstrates the benefits of implementing an infectious disease training program at assisted living facilities.
