University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers conducted a study which found increasing a facility' s hand hygiene compliance lowered the number of healthcare-associated infections, according to CDC.
During the study, University of North Carolina Hospitals, an 853-bed facility, implemented a new hand hygiene program where participants washed their hands when entering and leaving patient rooms. Then, all participants would make observations and provide feedback to each other over a 17-month period.
Here are four takeaways:
1. Researchers noted a 10 percent improvement in hand hygiene compliance lowered HAIs by 6 percent.
2. After implementing the tool, researchers found a 14 percent reduction in healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infections.
3. Researchers noted other infection prevention factors may have reduced HAI rates. However, the hospital did not adopt any other hospital-wide infection goals during the analysis period.
4. Therefore, researchers concluded, "A program designed to improve hand hygiene compliance among hospital staff successfully engaged all healthcare personnel in monitoring and improving their own hand hygiene compliance."
More articles on quality & infection control:
Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare introduces enhanced website: 6 highlights
Researchers find Zika linked to vector-borne infection — 4 notes
The key to hand hygiene compliance: 5 notes on combining radio frequency identification system & managerial support
