Competencies for Infection Nursing in Undergraduate Studies:

<p>Objective: This study on the current status of infection nursing education at nursing universities in Japan clarified the position of infection nursing in the existing curricula and identified the issues to be addressed. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted among faculty members in charge of infection nursing lectures and seminars at 283 nursing universities in Japan. Descriptive statistics were calculated and a qualitative inductive analysis of open-answer content was done. Results: The collection rate was 38.9%. Thirty percent of the universities had independent courses on infection nursing, and the extent of teaching time devoted to the subject unit varied by institution. Many respondents acknowledged the necessity of studying nursing care and ethical issues of infectious disease patients by the time of graduation. Educational issues related to infection nursing were classified as “issues related to students’ achievement level,” “issues in the curriculum,” and “issues of the instructors themselves.” Issues such as “lack of understanding of basic knowledge about microorganisms,” “lack of coordination among related subjects,” and “lack of practical nursing skills for infection nursing” were extracted. Conclusions: The results suggest the need for cooperation among subjects for the implementation of a systematic approach to infection education.</p>