Table 2 Relevant quotations from interviews leading to the description categories on infection control by nursing students

Nursing students' frames of reference on IC care

CF1. Structuring the spatial separation of infected patients

The reason for quarantine in a single room is that there is a possibility of the pathogen spreading around. I thought it was important to separate the patient. I told you that pertussis is related to a drop precaution, as I know; however, I thought it best to keep a certain distance because it does not move through the air for a certain period of time, unlike infection through the air (a 2^nd-year nursing student)

CF2. Patterning IC protocol according to the pathogenic characteristics

First, the patient is informed that they are contagious because they came with symptoms and have been diagnosed with the new influenza. Therefore, after explaining that it is necessary to move to a single room, it was essential to wear a mask as the patient was contagious. After educating, I thought about allowing the patient to wear a mask and not making contact with other patients, especially older patients (a 2^nd-year nursing student)

CF3. Identifying the possibility of infection during the incubation period

I think it is necessary to investigate the people who have been in contact with the patient, and as 3 weeks is a long time, we should check the incubation period of the patient's disease (a 3^rd-year nursing student)

CF4. Checking the extent of IC practice based on the routes of transmission

Disposable gown is a large possibility of contact with the body when treating feces, and I thought that a gown could be easily removed and disposed on the spot; so I chose the gown; and I chose a regular mask as the pathogen is not transmitted through the air, so it would be okay to use a regular mask that would only cover the nose and mouth (a 4^th-year nursing student)

CF5. Considering the interactive dynamics of the pathogen and its host

It is unavoidable for this patient to be in a negative pressure room due to chickenpox; however, the patient had a bone marrow transplant 6 months ago and currently has a fever condition; the patient's immunity is considerably weakened. Hence, the following two points should be considered together. I should be careful not only to make sure that this patient does not infect other patients, but also to make sure that this patient is not infected by other patients (a 4^th-year nursing student)

CF6. Categorizing patients to prioritize IC practice for multiple patients care

Infected patients have to perform more in a limited time compared to other patients. Hence, I have to think about how to do it efficiently. This patient is important, but I think of other patients as well. When nursing an elderly patient with low immunity, do not touch them immediately without hand hygiene after contact with the infected patient. Of course, this patient should not be prioritized over other patients, and other patients should not be prioritized, but I think we should think about how to prevent the spread of the infection among many patients (a 3^rd-year nursing student)

Nursing students' learning regarding IC

CL1. Mechanical memorization of IC principles

In this case, wearing protective equipment and single room isolation were learned in the fundamentals of nursing class. In symptomatic treatment, I learned about resistance bacteria in microbiology (a 2^nd-year nursing student)

CL2. Understanding the relationship between the patients and the environment

First, I got to know the negative pressure room well while investigating the negative pressure room as a group task in the fundamentals of nursing class. The group assignment had the theme of nursing for MERS patients. I learned a lot about the facts, what a negative pressure room is, and what kind of protective equipment should be worn, from the manual. In the course of the investigation, I learned about the cases where medical staff could be a vector of infection when treating patients (a 2^nd-year nursing student)

CL3. Understanding the relationship between the pathogen and the host’s potential

Measles is highly infectious for about 4 days after the rash appears; so you need to be careful during that period. However, I thought that it was a situation where both the mother and the visitor of the patient needed to pay attention because the child is in a stage of presenting rashes (a 4^th-year nursing student)

CL4. Linking to IC cases in clinical practice

First of all, it seems that the knowledge I gained from the fundamentals of nursing class regarding contact isolation was the basis, and then I saw a hepatitis A patient in clinical practice. Hence, I was able to observe the patient's diet management. While studying the causes of liver cancer in the adult nursing theory class, I learned about care of hepatitis A, B, and C, and it seems that I learned more about the patient's nursing as seen in clinical practice (a 4^th-year nursing student)

CL5. Understanding of IC through comparisons in clinical practice

When I practiced at the MICU, my mentor was a very smart nurse, so she was able to manage infections very thoroughly. When the mentor changed, I was able to compare a nurse who was thorough in IC with a nurse who was not. Thus, I realized that a patient could be infected by the careless behavior of the nurse in a clinical setting (a 4^th-year nursing student)

CL6. Breaking the chain of infections

In the case of this patient, the test for measles was negative; however, I think there may be two situations in which there may be other germs or just a fever. If the situation involves contamination by a germ other than measles, prescription for fever is required. It seems that you can think about discharge from the hospital depending on whether the symptoms improve after administering the medicine that has been used (a 3^rd-year nursing student)

CL7. Understanding the overall hierarchy of IC within nursing units

I have to do all of the protective isolation, and I think I will prioritize isolating the patient. When patient protection is professional and ethical, it also protects other patients, and as a protective isolation for this patient, the medical staff just cares about the infection more. I think it is more effective for this patient to get high absolute neutrophil count or catch chickenpox quickly (a 4^th-year nursing student)