title: Staff experiences of caring for patients with extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing bacteria: A qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients who become carriers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are sometimes stigmatized by health professionals. Staff members' fears of becoming infected could affect their willingness to care for these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The purpose of this study was to increase the knowledge of what it means for staff in acute care settings and nursing homes to care for patients with extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria. Assistant nurses, registered nurses, and physicians from acute care settings and nursing homes were interviewed. A modified version of Grounded Theory was used for the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis resulted in the core category "to operate as an expert in a chaotic environment" in acute care settings. Despite a lack of resources, hospital staff try to provide the best possible care for patients with ESBL. The analysis of the interviews in the nursing homes resulted in the core category "the employee who, despite uncertainty, provides good care." Despite some fear, and a lack of knowledge, the study participants tried to provide the residents with good care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Staff in acute care settings and nursing homes must have adequate knowledge and reasonable working conditions to be able to provide high-quality care for patients and residents who are ESBL carriers.
authors: Department of Infection Control and Hospital Hygiene, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Medicine, Solna (MedS), Unit of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: susanne.wiklund@ki.se.
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Wiklund
authors: Department of Healthcare Sciences, Ersta Sköndal University College, Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Nursing, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Ingegerd
authors: I
authors: Fagerberg
authors: Department of Medicine, Solna (MedS), Unit of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Åke
authors: Å
authors: Örtqvist
authors: Department of Medicine, Solna (MedS), Unit of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska University Hospital and Center for Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Kristina
authors: K
authors: Broliden
authors: Department of Infection Control and Hospital Hygiene, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Medicine, Solna (MedS), Unit of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Ann
authors: A
authors: Tammelin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004645:Empathy; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006268:Health Facilities; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male
keywords: Antibiotic resistance; ESBL; Extended-spectrum β-lactamase; Grounded theory; Staff experiences