scholarly journals Patients’ Hand Washing and Reducing Hospital-Acquired Infection

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. e1-e8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacy Haverstick ◽  
Cara Goodrich ◽  
Regi Freeman ◽  
Shandra James ◽  
Rajkiran Kullar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Hand Washing ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infection ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Hand Sanitizer ◽  
Step Down ◽  
Hygiene Compliance ◽  
Hospital Acquired

BACKGROUND Hand hygiene is important to prevent hospital-acquired infections. Patients’ hand hygiene is just as important as hospital workers’ hand hygiene. Hospital-acquired infection rates remain a concern across health centers. OBJECTIVES To improve patients’ hand hygiene through the promotion and use of hand washing with soap and water, hand sanitizer, or both and improve patients’ education to reduce hospital-acquired infections. METHODS In August 2013, patients in a cardiothoracic postsurgical step-down unit were provided with individual bottles of hand sanitizer. Nurses and nursing technicians provided hand hygiene education to each patient. Patients completed a 6-question survey before the intervention, at hospital discharge and 1, 2, and 3 months after the intervention. Hospital-acquired infection data were tracked monthly by infection prevention staff. RESULTS Significant correlations were found between hand hygiene and rates of infection with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (P = .003) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (P = .01) after the intervention. After the implementation of hand hygiene interventions, rates of both infections declined significantly and patients reported more staff offering opportunities for and encouraging hand hygiene. CONCLUSION This quality improvement project demonstrates that increased hand hygiene compliance by patients can influence infection rates in an adult cardiothoracic step-down unit. The decreased infection rates and increased compliance with hand hygiene among the patients may be attributed to the implementation of patient education and the increased accessibility and use of hand sanitizer.

Use of a Patient Hand Hygiene Protocol to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Infections and Improve Nurses’ Hand Washing

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 216-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cherie Fox ◽  
Teresa Wavra ◽  
Diane Ash Drake ◽  
Debbie Mulligan ◽  
Yvonne Pacheco Bennett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Critically Ill ◽  
Critically Ill Patients ◽  
Hand Washing ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Background Critically ill patients are at marked risk of hospital-acquired infections, which increase patients’ morbidity and mortality. Registered nurses are the main health care providers of physical care, including hygiene to reduce and prevent hospital-acquired infections, for hospitalized critically ill patients. Objective To investigate a new patient hand hygiene protocol designed to reduce hospital-acquired infection rates and improve nurses’ hand-washing compliance in an intensive care unit. Methods A preexperimental study design was used to compare 12-month rates of 2 common hospital-acquired infections, central catheter–associated bloodstream infection and catheter-associated urinary tract infection, and nurses’ hand-washing compliance measured before and during use of the protocol. Results Reductions in 12-month infection rates were reported for both types of infections, but neither reduction was statistically significant. Mean 12-month nurse hand-washing compliance also improved, but not significantly. Conclusions A hand hygiene protocol for patients in the intensive care unit was associated with reductions in hospital-acquired infections and improvements in nurses’ hand-washing compliance. Prevention of such infections requires continuous quality improvement efforts to monitor lasting effectiveness as well as investigation of strategies to eliminate these infections.

scholarly journals Correlation between Antibiotic Consumption and Hand Hygiene Compliance Among Anesthesia and Intensive Care Healthcare Professionals

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-48
Author(s):  
Emanuela Santoro ◽  
Marco Fiore ◽  
Sebastiano Leone ◽  
Armando Masucci ◽  
Roberta Manente ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Antibiotic Consumption ◽  
Alcoholic Solution ◽  
Hand Washing ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Consumption Data ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the correct use of gloves and alcohol-based products for hand hygiene and identify opportunities for hand hygiene replacement with gloves among healthcare professionals working in the Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care of a tertiary care University Hospital. Background: Two centuries have passed since the discovery of Semmelweis that the “puerperal fever” was due to an infection transmitted by the hands. Currently the hand hygiene is still not well performed, rather it is often replaced by the improper use of gloves. Microbial transmission is estimated to occur in one-fifth of all contact cases. Objective: To investigate the correct use of gloves and alcohol-based products for hand hygiene and identify opportunities for hand hygiene replacement with gloves among healthcare professionals. Furthermore, to correlate the consumption data of the hydroalcoholic solution and the amount of antibiotics used for the treatment of hospital-acquired infections. Method: The study was conducted over six months period (from January to June 2018); during this period, 20 monitoring sessions were performed. The following indicators were evaluated: a) Non-adherence to hand hygiene with concomitant use of gloves; b) Adhesion to alcoholic friction of hands; c) Hand-washing adhesion. Instead, the consumption data, provided by the hospital ward itself, were used for the evaluation of d) The antibiotics used in the treatment of hospital-acquired infections; e) The hydro-alcoholic solution used by the healthcare professionals for hand hygiene. Results: The frequency of non-adherence to hand hygiene was very high at the beginning of the study, subsequently it decreased to about a half percent to that at the initial stage. The adhesion to alcoholic friction of hands increased during the study period. Otherwise, the hand-washing adhesion slightly reduced, especially in March probably due to the recruitment of new inadequately trained nursing staff. The trend of antibiotic consumption was similar to handwashing. The consumption of hydro-alcoholic solution was very low, however over time, it increased considerably until the end of the study. Conclusion: In light of the findings from this work, it is necessary to make the hospital staff increasingly aware of the correct practice of hand hygiene and to organize training and informative sessions to promote the health of the individual and the community.

scholarly journals Using environmental engineering to increase hand hygiene compliance: a cross-over study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. e017108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Ann Schmidtke ◽  
Navneet Aujla ◽  
Tom Marshall ◽  
Abid Hussain ◽  
Gerard P Hodgkinson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Research Ethics ◽  
Total Duration ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
South Central ◽  
Priming Condition ◽  
Registration Number ◽  
Hygiene Compliance ◽  
Hospital Acquired

IntroductionCompliance with hand hygiene recommendations in hospital is typically less than 50%. Such low compliance inevitably contributes to hospital-acquired infections that negatively affect patients’ well-being and hospitals’ finances. The design of the present study is predicated on the assumption that most people who fail to clean their hands are not doing so intentionally, they just forget. The present study will test whether psychological priming can be used to increase the number of people who clean their hands on entering a ward. Here, we present the protocol for this study.Methods and analysisThe study will use a randomised cross-over design. During the study, each of four wards will be observed during four conditions: olfactory prime, visual prime, both primes and neither prime. Each condition will be experienced for 42 days followed by a 7-day washout period (total duration of trial=189 days). We will record the number of people who enter each ward and whether they clean their hands during observation sessions, the amount of cleaning material used from the dispensers each week and the number of hospital-acquired infections that occur in each period. The outcomes will be compared using a regression analysis. Following the initial trail, the most effective priming condition will be rolled out for 3 months in all the wards.Ethics and disseminationResearch ethics approval was obtained from the South Central—Oxford C Research Ethics Committee (16/SC/0554), the Health Regulatory Authority and the sponsor.Trial registration numberISRCTN (15397624); Edge ID 86357.

scholarly journals Reducing hospital-acquired infections and improving the rational use of antibiotics in a developing country: an effectiveness study

2014 ◽  
Vol 100 (5) ◽  
pp. 454-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Indah K Murni ◽  
Trevor Duke ◽  
Sharon Kinney ◽  
Andrew J Daley ◽  
Yati Soenarto
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Antibiotic Stewardship ◽  
Hand Hygiene Compliance ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Hygiene Compliance ◽  
Rational Use Of Antibiotics ◽  
Hospital Acquired

BackgroundPrevention of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) is central to providing safe and high quality healthcare. Transmission of infection between patients by health workers, and the irrational use of antibiotics have been identified as preventable aetiological factors for HAIs. Few studies have addressed this in developing countries.AimsTo implement a multifaceted infection control and antibiotic stewardship programme and evaluate its effectiveness on HAIs and antibiotic use.MethodsA before-and-after study was conducted over 27 months in a teaching hospital in Indonesia. All children admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit and paediatric wards were observed daily. Assessment of HAIs was made based on the criteria from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The multifaceted intervention consisted of a hand hygiene campaign, antibiotic stewardship (using the WHO Pocket Book of Hospital Care for Children guidelines as standards of antibiotic prescribing for community-acquired infections), and other elementary infection control practices. Data were collected using an identical method in the preintervention and postintervention periods.ResultsWe observed a major reduction in HAIs, from 22.6% (277/1227 patients) in the preintervention period to 8.6% (123/1419 patients) in the postintervention period (relative risk (RR) (95% CI) 0.38 (0.31 to 0.46)). Inappropriate antibiotic use declined from 43% (336 of 780 patients who were prescribed antibiotics) to 20.6% (182 of 882 patients) (RR 0.46 (0.40 to 0.55)). Hand hygiene compliance increased from 18.9% (319/1690) to 62.9% (1125/1789) (RR 3.33 (2.99 to 3.70)). In-hospital mortality decreased from 10.4% (127/1227) to 8% (114/1419) (RR 0.78 (0.61 to 0.97)).ConclusionsMultifaceted infection control interventions are effective in reducing HAI rates, improving the rational use of antibiotics, increasing hand hygiene compliance, and may reduce mortality in hospitalised children in developing countries.

Has Improved Hand Hygiene Compliance Reduced the Risk of Hospital-Acquired Infections among Hospitalized Patients in Ontario? Analysis of Publicly Reported Patient Safety Data from 2008 to 2011

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 605-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulio DiDiodato
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Acute Care ◽  
Poisson Regression ◽  
Hand Hygiene Compliance ◽  
Acute Care Hospitals ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Hygiene Compliance ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Design.Prospective, observational, ecological, time series, cross-sectional study examining the association between hand hygiene compliance (HHC) rates and the incidence of hospital-acquired infections.Setting.Acute care hospitals (N = 166) located in the province of Ontario, Canada.Methods.All data were extracted from the Ontario patient safety indicator database (http://www.hqontario.ca/public-reporting/patient-safety). Complete data were available for 166 acute care hospitals from October 1, 2008, to December 31, 2011. The rates of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) are reported monthly, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia quarterly, and HHC rates yearly. Trends and associations for each indicator were evaluated by ordinary least squares regression (HHC), zero-inflated Poisson regression (MRSA bacteremia), or Poisson regression (CDI). Dependent variables included in the regression analyses were extracted from the same database and included year, healthcare region, and type of hospital (teaching or small or large community).Results.Compared to those in 2008, reported HHC rates improved every year both before and after environment/patient contact (range, 10.6%–25.3%). Compared to those in 2008, there was no corresponding change in the rates of MRSA bacteremia; however, the rates of CDI decreased in 2009 but were not statistically significantly decreased from baseline in either 2010 or 2011. No consistent association was demonstrated between changes in the rates of HHC and these two healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).Conclusions.Despite significant improvements in reported rates of HHC among healthcare personnel in Ontario's hospitals, we could not demonstrate a positive ecological impact on rates of these two HAIs.

scholarly journals Breaking a Guinness World Record on Hand Sanitizing Relay, initiating a call for vital research in overcoming campaign fatigue for hand hygiene

F1000Research ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 234
Author(s):  
Wing Hong Seto ◽  
Kwok-Hung Li ◽  
Christina Woon Yee Cheung ◽  
Patricia Tai Yin Ching ◽  
Benjamin J. Cowling
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Hand Hygiene Compliance ◽  
Poor Compliance ◽  
Creative Activity ◽  
World Record ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Hygiene Compliance ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Hand hygiene has been shown to be effective in significantly reducing hospital acquired infections for many years. However it is difficult to maintain and enhance compliance with hand hygiene guidelines. In Hong Kong, we previously reported a strategy to counter campaign fatigue from 50%-55% in 2009-11 to 83% in 2012. Here we report a creative activity that we used to sustain and enhance hand hygiene compliance. In May 2014 we broke the first Guinness World Record for a Hand Sanitizing Relay. A total of 277 participants performed hand hygiene before two official and approved witnesses. Following this team-directed strategy, an increase in hand hygiene compliance was identified in two clinical areas with previously poor compliance. The longer term impact of this strategy remains to be determined. More broadly, further research is urgently needed on meeting the challenge of campaign fatigue, and maintaining and enhancing compliance with hand hygiene guidelines.

scholarly journals Polyherbal Natural Hand Sanitizer Formulation and Evaluation

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (06) ◽  
pp. 932-939
Author(s):  
Vijaya B. Surwase ◽  
Manasi M. Savale ◽  
Ranjit S. Jadhav ◽  
Akshaykumar B. Kadam ◽  
Pradnya P. Shinde
Keyword(s):  
Antibacterial Activity ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Herbal Extract ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Major Purpose ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Hand Sanitizer ◽  
Tridax Procumbens ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Making a polyherbal hand sanitizer’s major purpose is to increase “hand hygiene.” In the prevention, control, and reduction of hospital-acquired infections, hand hygiene is a key principle and practice. The plants were validated using fresh Azadirachta indica and Tridax procumbens leaves. The leaves were cleaned, dried in the shade, and used for future research. Using the Soxhlate equipment and hydroalcoholic solvent extraction, several phytochemicals were extracted, and the recovered phytochemicals were qualitatively examined before being evaluated for antibacterial activity. This herbal extract blend was used to make hand sanitizer. Herbal hand sanitizer was evaluated using microorganism suspensions (Bacteria- E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus), which showed that herbal hand sanitizer is more efficient than commercial synthetic hand sanitizer in reducing the number of germs on the hands. The increased antibacterial activity and efficacy of these plant extracts can be exploited to create herbal hand sanitizers on a commercial scale. When the ingredients are mixed together, they form a hand sanitizer.

scholarly journals Effectiveness Hand Washing and Hand Rub Method in Reducing Total Bacteria Colony from Nurses in Medan

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (20) ◽  
pp. 3380-3383
Author(s):  
Tetty Aman Nasution ◽  
Rina Yunita ◽  
Ayodhia Pitaloka Pasaribu ◽  
Fikri M. Ardinata
Keyword(s):  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Simple Procedure ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Hand Washing ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Duration Of Treatment ◽  
Bacterial Colony ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infection ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Hospital Acquired

BACKGROUND: Hospital-acquired infection (HAI) is a major problem for the patient's health care and may impact the duration of treatment. Hand hygiene is a simple procedure but giving good prevention usually done among nurses at the hospital. AIM: Objective of the study is to determine the effectivity of handwashing method compared to hand rub to eliminate microorganisms on nurse’s hands at Sumatera Utara University Hospital. This is an experimental analytic study using random sampling technique. METHODS: There were 16 nurses enrolled in this study. There were 2 groups involved; the first group using handwashing with soap and the other one using hand rub. The swabs were taken from each hand from both groups before and after washing their hands. Moreover, the swabs directly sent to Microbiology Laboratory of Sumatera Utara University to identify bacteria which colonise the hand. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between using handwashing method compared to hand rub in reducing total bacterial colony on hands (p = 0.088). The average of total colony decreased by using handwashing method is 59.5%, and by using a hand, rub is 47.2%. CONCLUSION: Hand hygiene method using alcohol-based hand rub liquid has been recommended by WHO and can replace hand washing method in a particular situation.

scholarly journals The effect of hand hygiene compliance on hospital-acquired infections in an ICU setting in a Kuwaiti teaching hospital

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona F. Salama ◽  
Wafaa Y. Jamal ◽  
Haifa Al Mousa ◽  
Khaled A. Al-AbdulGhani ◽  
Vincent O. Rotimi
Keyword(s):  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Teaching Hospital ◽  
Hand Hygiene Compliance ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Hygiene Compliance ◽  
Hospital Acquired
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