Table 3 Perceived facilitators of effective infection prevention and control (IPC) program implementation by IPC physicians and nurses, and microbiologists

Organization

• Empower IPC nurses

 “We let them [IPC nurses] present the data [HAI rates] and we are there to support them” -IPC physician-

• Empower patients to be IPC advocates (e.g., teaching patients how to care for surgical wounds)

• Empower bedside nurses to be IPC champions

 “We started offering this to nurses as a way to engage them in IPC. They rotate through our service, they learn about ID, shadow the IPC nurse… They love it…. Then they teach other in their units” -IPC physician-

• Dedicated budget

• Frame IPC in the context of patient safety

 “It is important for us [IPC nurses] to remind them [physicians], HAIs are preventable…And that they can make a difference” -IPC nurse-

• Hospital director is an active member of the IPC committee

• Multidisciplinary work

• Top-down approach

 “If the hospital director does not set it as an expectation, no one will listen to us” -IPC physician-

Person

• Having an expert in quality in the IPC team

Tools and technology

• Competency-based training

• Computers to track IPC outcomes data

• IPC-specific journal club to increase IPC nurses’ confidence in addressing issues with front-line providers

Tasks

• Color code HAI rates or hand hygiene compliance (red, yellow, green) for easier visualization of data

• Use of SWOT framework for effective strategic planning

• Weekly check-in meeting to plan activities for the week for the members of the team

• Units participate of implementation of initiatives

• Frequent internal meetings

• Alternate HAIs on a quarterly basis

External environment

• External hospital accreditation

• COVID-19

 “The pandemic did help increase the visibility of the IPC program, and our value” -IPC physician-

• Interaction with public health authorities

 “They [national authorities] came to visit us and left very helpful recommendations on things to we need to work on. It is good to hear what we are doing right and what we need to improve on” -IPC physician-