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Hospital hand hygiene compliance improves with increased monitoring and immediate feedback.
Am J Infect Control. 2014 Oct;42(10):1074-8
Authors: Walker JL, Sistrunk WW, Higginbotham MA, Burks K, Halford L, Goddard L, Thombs LA, Austin C, Finley PJ
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Health care-associated infections are serious complications impacting 2 million patients and accounting for approximately 100,000 deaths per year. In the present study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a new hand hygiene monitoring program (HHMP) and measured the sustainability of this effectiveness over a 1-year period.
METHODS: The HHMP consisted of 4 key components: extensive education, conspicuous and visible monitors, immediate feedback concerning compliance to health care workers, and real-time data dissemination to leadership. The HHMP was implemented in 2 hospital care units. Two different, but similar, departments served as controls, and hand hygiene compliance was monitored via the "secret shopper" technique. All 4 departments were followed for 12 months.
RESULTS: Both experimental departments showed statistically significant increases in hand hygiene compliance. Experimental department 1 increased compliance from 49% to an average of 90%, and experimental department 2 increased compliance from 60% to an average of 96%. Both experimental departments were able to sustain these results for at least 6 months. Compliance rates were significantly higher in the experimental departments compared with the control departments. No significant changes were seen in the control departments.
CONCLUSIONS: These finding suggest that continuous monitoring by salient observers and immediate feedback are critical to the success of hand hygiene programs.
PMID: 25278396 [PubMed - in process]