Implementing a patient education intervention about Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus prevention and effect on knowledge and behavior in veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility and effect of a nurse-administered patient educational intervention about Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevention on knowledge and behavior of Veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D).

Design: Blinded, block-randomized controlled pilot trial.

Setting: Two Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) SCI Centers.

Participants: Veterans were recruited March-September 2010 through referral by a healthcare provider from inpatient, outpatient, and residential care settings.

Intervention: Thirty participants were randomized to the nurse-administered intervention and 31 to the usual care group. The intervention included a brochure and tools to assist nurses in conducting the education.

Outcome Measures: Pre- and post-intervention measurement of knowledge and behaviors related to MRSA and prevention strategies and feasibility measures related to implementation.

Results: Participants were primarily male (95.1%), white (63.9%), with tetraplegia (63.9%) and mean age and duration of injury of 64.3 and 20.5 years, respectively. The intervention groups mean knowledge score significantly increased between pre- and post-test (mean change score = 1.70, 95% confidence interval, CI 0.25-3.15) while the usual care groups score did not significantly change (mean change score = 1.45, 95% CI -0.08-2.98). However, the mean knowledge change between intervention and usual care groups was not significantly different (P = 0.81). Overall behavior scores did not significantly differ between treatment groups; however, the intervention group was more likely to report intentions to clean hands (90.0% vs. 64.5%, P = 0.03) and asking providers about MRSA status (46.7% vs. 16.1%, P = 0.01). Nurse educators reported that the quality of the intervention was high and could be implemented in clinical care.

Conclusions: A targeted educational strategy is feasible to implement in SCI/D clinical practices and may improve some participants' knowledge about MRSA and increase intentions to improve hand hygiene and engagement with providers about their MRSA status.