A survey on the situation and influencing factors of the competency of infection prevention and control practitioners in 46 primary hospitals of a medical consortium in Jiangsu Province

As an important part of China’s medical service system, especially since the outbreak of Covid-19, primary hospitals play an irreplaceable role in safeguarding people’s health. However, there were many deficiencies in infection management in primary hospitals, among which the problem of competency to be improved was the most prominent. This study aimed to understand the situation and influencing factors of the competency of infection prevention and control practitioners (IPCP) in the primary hospitals of Jiangsu Province, and to provide reference for the subsequent development of training programs. A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select 46 primary hospitals in Jiangsu Province. From February to March 2023, a number of 316 IPCP responded a questionnaire; their responses (on a 1–7 scale) were used to obtain a competency self-assessment scale. The total score was 5.869 ± 0.909. The four core dimensions scored highest for teamwork and lowest for professional development. Among the 11 sub-dimensions, the highest score was personal quality and the lowest score was comprehensive knowledge. Multivariate analysis of variance found that hospital level, employment mode, and training times were the influencing factors of competency (all p < 0.05). The competency of IPCP in 46 hospitals in Jiangsu Province is above the average level, and the score of professional development ability was lowest. Superior hospital of medical consortium can further improve the competency of IPCP in primary hospitals through systematic and targeted training.