title: A psychologist-led educational intervention results in a sustained reduction in neonatal intensive care unit infections.
abstract: Even though in the corporate world psychological science has been widely used, the formal use of evidence-based psychology in important areas of clinical medicine has been scanty at best. It was the aim of this study to determine the efficacy of a psychologist-led 2-week nurse educator training on the infection rate in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2007, six senior neonatal nurses underwent a training course focusing on the retrieval of evidence and knowledge of psychological principles that would allow them to share the evidence in such a way that evidence is effectively brought into practice. The course was led by a psychologist. The nurses created and delivered their own teaching modules, all focused on infection control. The rates of bacteremia, 2 years prior to intervention were analyzed and compared with the rate following the intervention for 3 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The immediate output of the course included three teaching modules: hand washing, sterile procedures, and general measures to control infection. These modules were subsequently administered to the NICU nurses in regular structured continuous nursing education sessions. The psychological techniques taught in the course were applied. Bacteremia in the NICU significantly decreased in the year of the course and the subsequent years when compared to previous years (from more than 17 in 2005 and 2006 to less than 10 per 100 admissions to the NICU in 2008 and 2009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that a psychologist-led course, followed by a structured CNE can lead to a sustainable reduction in infection rates in a NICU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Universiti Sains Malaysia , Kubang Kerian , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Rostenberghe
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Sydney , Sydney, NSW , Australia.
authors.forename: Jacki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Short
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Universiti Sains Malaysia , Kubang Kerian , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Noraida
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ramli
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Universiti Sains Malaysia , Kubang Kerian , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Tan Beng
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Geok
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Penang Medical College , Georgetown , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sivasangari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Subramaniam
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Universiti Sains Malaysia , Kubang Kerian , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Che Anuar
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Che Yaakob
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Universiti Sains Malaysia , Kubang Kerian , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Azizah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Othman
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Universiti Sains Malaysia , Kubang Kerian , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nor Rosidah
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Penang Medical College , Georgetown , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Universiti Sains Malaysia , Kubang Kerian , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Zeehaida
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Universiti Sains Malaysia , Kubang Kerian , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Habsah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hasan
keywords: infection control; infection rate; neonatal intensive care unit; nurse education; psychologist