감염관리간호사의 감염 예방 활동에 대한 관리적 지원 경험과 그 의미: 해석현상학적 분석

초록

Purpose: This study interprets how infection control nurses (ICNs) experienced and understood administrative support during infection-prevention activities, and to clarify how this support influenced their practice, well-being, and professional identity in post-pandemic clinical settings. Methods: This qualitative study used interpretative phenomenological analysis. Through purposive and snowball sampling, six ICNs from tertiary and general hospitals in Korea, each with at least 3 years of ICN experience and direct involvement in the COVID-19 response, participated in two semi-structured, in-depth interviews between August 20 and September 3, 2025. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed first idiographically, then across cases, following Smith’s procedures. Reflexive notes and an audit trail ensured analytic rigor. Results: Analysis identified six interrelated themes, expressed in participants’ terms and specific work contexts. First, the realities and challenges of infection-prevention practice reflected ongoing workload pressure, delayed outcome visibility, and crisis-driven surges that caused moral strain. Second, meanings and experiences of managerial support indicated that support was genuine when leaders listened, made prompt decisions, and backed ICN judgments; its absence led to isolation and role fatigue. Third, the operation of resources and institutional arrangements showed that staffing, budgets, equipment, and clear decision pathways either enabled or limited timely, consistent action. Fourth, organizational culture and interprofessional barriers revealed that hierarchical norms, siloed routines, and skepticism hindered cooperation, while open, learning-oriented environments supported the adoption of precautions. Fifth, emotional turbulence and professional identity highlighted tensions between enforcement and caregiving roles, which undermined self-efficacy; recognition and small practice successes restored pride in the specialized role. Finally, conditions for recovery and change emphasized that practical support and formal acknowledgment-along with after-action reviews, protocol updates, cross-disciplinary drills, and aligned incentives-helped transform individual learning into resilient, sustainable organizational capability. Conclusion: For ICNs, administrative support extends beyond resources by providing authority, psychological safety, and feasibility for infection-prevention efforts. To maintain prevention measures beyond crises, hospitals should ensure governance structures, rapid decision-making channels, stable staffing and budgets, and regular debriefings with protocol updates. Connecting infection-control performance to recognition and professional development may reduce burnout, strengthen professional identity, and enhance patient safety.

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