Factors influencing intensive care unit nurses' performance of standard precautions in South Korea: a descriptive correlational study.

PURPOSE: This descriptive correlational study aimed to identify personal, organizational, and environmental factors influencing the performance of standard precautions (SPs) among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses.

METHODS

A structured questionnaire survey was conducted among 166 ICU nurses at two tertiary hospitals in South Korea. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25.0, including independent t-tests, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis.

RESULTS

Hierarchical regression analysis identified organizational culture for infection control (β = .41, p < .001), awareness of SPs (β = .37, p < .001), and clinical experience (β = .18, p = .007) as significant predictors of SP performance. In contrast, the infection prevention environment was not a statistically significant predictor. The final model explained 54.0% of the variance in SP performance (F = 23.39, p < .001), with an adjusted R2 of 52.0%.

CONCLUSION

To enhance SP performance among ICU nurses, multidimensional, career-tailored interventions are needed to move beyond traditional knowledge-based education and facilitate the transition from awareness to practice. In addition, establishing supportive and constructive communication systems within a nonpunitive environment for reporting infection control errors or noncompliance, together with supportive leadership, may help create a sustainable organizational foundation for infection prevention. Ultimately, shifting the focus from physical facilities to organizational culture is essential for preventing pathogen transmission and ensuring physiological safety.