Detroit-based Henry Ford Hospital researchers found showing healthcare providers images of surfaces with bacteria bolstered hand hygiene compliance, according to advance healthcare network.
In the study, researchers swabbed surfaces healthcare workers touched. They then cultured the bacteria and showed workers 12 magnified images of the bacteria contamination. The researchers visited four hospital units with low compliance rates 10 times between July and September 2015.
Here are four notes:
1. Compliance rates between the four units improved by nearly 24 percent, on average, after showing employees the images.
2. Researchers were surprised by the increase, as they had predicted a relatively small compliance rate boost. The researchers noted, "I think giving the face to the contamination really helped to increase hand hygiene."
3. Following the study, hospitals throughout the globe have requested booklet copies of the compliance tool.
4. Researchers presented their findings at the 43rd Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology in Charlotte, N.C., in June.
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