Psychometric Validation of the Korean Version of the Professional Bereavement Scale Among Tertiary Hospital Nurses.

Healthcare‐associated infections (HCAIs) are infections that are not present or incubating at the time of care delivery and can arise as a result of healthcare interventions (CDC ; ECDPC ; WHO ). HCAIs are preventable infections, but with an incidence of between 7% and 10%, they pose a significant threat to the quality of care worldwide (Zimmerman et al. ; Alcan and Dolgun ; Rupam ). HCAIs are a cause of considerable concern worldwide due to their prolonged hospital stay, increased healthcare system costs and adverse effects on patient health (ECDPC ; Gastaldi et al. ; WHO ). A prevalence study conducted by WHO in 55 hospitals in 14 countries found that 8.7% of inpatients acquired the infection through hospital‐acquired means (Cohen et al. ). HCAIs can result in functional impairment, emotional distress, decreased quality of life, and death in patients, prolonged hospital stays, and increased disease costs (Arli and Bakan ; WHO , ; Karahan et al. ; Sharma et al. ). The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has further exacerbated the challenges associated with the prevention and management of HAIs, as many pathogens responsible for these infections have evolved resistance to conventional treatment options. HCAIs are hospital‐acquired infections and are of critical importance for patient safety (Parreira et al. ). Each year, approximately 4 million patients in Europe acquire healthcare‐associated infections, 37,000 of which result in death (ECDPC ). The ECDPC estimates that approximately 30% of healthcare‐acquired infections could be prevented through surveillance systems, prevention and hygiene control programmes (ECDPC ). This constitutes undisputed preventive content for various professional groups in healthcare settings and essential academic content for all healthcare students (Díaz and Cadena ; González ). Brosio et al. () found in a study that nursing students lacked knowledge about HCAI (Brosio et al. ). Furthermore, nursing students actively participate in practices in healthcare settings and, during this time, are at high risk of infection transmission due to direct contact with potentially infectious patients and their work with blood and body fluids (Díaz and Cadena ; González ). Despite preparations for HCAI in laboratory and simulated practice training, perceptions and attitudes regarding infection risks, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) remain inadequate (Parreira et al. ; Siesto ). Therefore, nursing students are exposed to highly contaminated environments through contact with patients/patient relatives or through physical contact, and it is estimated that more than 40% are infected (Kızıltepe and Yılmaz ). Within the scope of Health Services and Infectious Diseases (IPC), education should be accompanied by guidelines on the essential components of infection prevention and control (IPC), based on priority topics identified by the World Health Organization (), and should include assessment strategies and tools. Approximately 50% of nursing education should be developed within a clinical context, focusing on learning within a team and, in direct contact with students and the public, on how to organize, provide, and evaluate the necessary care using the knowledge, capacities and skills acquired by the student (Rodríguez‐García ). The content to be taught in the practice sessions is theoretical and practical and should be developed by both academic and clinical instructors, and the content and learning process should be adapted to each context (Güler et al. ). Clinical instructors or supervisors play a crucial role in the teaching and learning process by creating a competent learning environment where other professionals in the care setting also participate, without sharing their educational responsibilities, interactions, habits, traditions and working conditions (Rodríguez‐García ). The introduction of clinical practice aims to teach students the practical skills necessary to provide competent care, as the connection between theory and practice facilitates the assimilation of knowledge and the development of professional skills. Practices must still adhere to safety standards, meaning they must be based on interventions aimed at preventing or minimizing harm from patient care (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization ). By clinical practice, we mean the caring function of the nursing profession, which encompasses all functions and activities carried out to address health and illness needs. Safe healthcare delivery practices must be based on adequate epidemiological surveillance systems that include multifaceted actions by multidisciplinary teams that support safe professional practices (Dener and Elçin ).