Effect of an isolation-coping programme on patients isolated for colonization or infection with multi-drug-resistant organisms: a quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND

The global increase in the prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) among multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDROs) has necessitated contact precaution and isolation in medical institutions. Contact isolation has a negative effect on the mental health of patients, but few interventions have addressed this issue.

AIM

To evaluate an isolation-coping programme delivered by an infection control nurse for patients colonized or infected with VRE or CRE.

METHODS

An isolation-coping programme was developed to mitigate the negative effects of isolation due to MDROs, and the effects of the programme on uncertainty, anxiety, depression and knowledge of patients isolated because of MDROs (VRE or CRE) were validated using a pre-post quasi-experimental design.

FINDINGS

The experimental group (N=56) received education and emotional support via the isolation-coping programme, and the control group (M=55) received verbal isolation guidelines alone from the medical institution. Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed a reduction in uncertainty (t=-8.925), anxiety (Z=-6.131) and depression (Z=-5.379), and better knowledge (Z=-8.372) (P<0.001 for all).

CONCLUSION

This novel isolation-coping programme delivered by an infection control nurse was found to be an effective intervention to improve uncertainty, anxiety, depression and knowledge in patients isolated with VRE or CRE.