Diffusion of innovations: Describing the perceptions of the stages in the innovation-decision process for handwashing and alcohol hand rubs

                         Abouzelof, Rouett Harden, MSN

                         UNIVERSITY OF UTAH COLLEGE OF NURSING,1999

                         HEALTH SCIENCES, NURSING (0569); HEALTH SCIENCES, HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT
 

                         The problem of low compliance to handwashing guidelines in a 520-bed community hospital was studied
                         within the framework of the theory, Diffusion of Innovations. This theory maintains that any idea
                         perceived as new to an individual is termed innovation and the spread of the innovation is termed
                         diffusion. Within this theory is the innovation-decision process of which there are five stages:
                         knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation. Results of a questionnaire
                         designed to describe the stages of the innovation-decision process for handwashing and alcohol hand
                         rubs showed significantly lower perceptions of adoption for alcohol hand rubs than handwashing. In
                         addition, when comparing units, the acute care unit had significantly lower perceptions of all stages for
                         alcohol hand rubs. All other correlations showed weak relationships with the exception that participants
                         currently enrolled in college had a higher perception of the implementation stage for alcohol hand rubs.

 


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