Reducing infection rates in a dementia care home by 100%!

Shauna Rooney developed infection prevention and control training in the dementia care home in which she worked and this has led to a 100% reduction in outbreaks of infection. The home relied on hospital staff for infection prevention and control training until Shauna became infection prevention and control link nurse.

To understand how to move forward, a programme of audits were undertaken, starting with standard precautions such as handwashing and appropriate use of gloves, supported by clinical supervision with staff to find any gaps in knowledge. She fed back her results to the home manager, who helped her develop an action plan. She began holding supervision sessions in small groups and worked alongside staff to support the training. ‘This meant I could address the practicalities and answer questions as they came up,’ says Shauna. ‘I could never have done this without being given supernumerary time by the home manager.'

Culture change

The change required teamwork at every level, but initially the biggest problem was communication between care and domestic staff. ‘It was important to get everyone together - everybody had to collaborate,’ says Shauna. By providing continuous feedback to the manager and staff and showing how things were improving through monthly audits, the culture and practice at the home moved its focus to infection prevention rather than control. Staff reported increased confidence and satisfaction as they saw the consistent improvement for their residents.

Reduced rates of infection meant fewer hospital admissions. Also, infections often led to residents being isolated in their bedrooms which meant they could not take part in activities, had less engagement with people and reduced cognitive stimulation which is so important for people with dementia.’

Infection prevention was raised at meetings with relatives and carers to explain its importance, especially handwashing.

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