Hand hygiene performance in an intensive care unit before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the focus on infection prevention in hospitals. We evaluated hand hygiene compliance with alcohol-based hand rub via electronic observation among healthcare workers in an intensive care unit from 2017 to 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic was not associated with an increase in hand hygiene compliance.

Simulation Training in Early Emergency Response (STEER).

HOW TO OBTAIN CONTACT HOURS BY READING THIS ISSUE Instructions: 1.3 contact hours will be awarded by Villanova University College of Nursing upon successful completion of this activity. A contact hour is a unit of measurement that denotes 60 minutes of an organized learning activity. This is a learner-based activity. Villanova University College of Nursing does not require submission of your answers to the quiz. A contact hour certificate will be awarded after you register, pay the registration fee, and complete the evaluation form online at http://goo.gl/gMfXaf. In order to obtain contact hours you must: 1. Read the article, "Simulation Training in Early Emergency Response (STEER)," found on pages 255-263, carefully noting any tables and other illustrative materials that are included to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the content. Be sure to keep track of the amount of time (number of minutes) you spend reading the article and completing the quiz. 2. Read and answer each question on the quiz. After completing all of the questions, compare your answers to those provided within this issue. If you have incorrect answers, return to the article for further study. 3. Go to the Villanova website to register for contact hour credit. You will be asked to provide your name, contact information, and a VISA, MasterCard, or Discover card number for payment of the $20.00 fee. Once you complete the online evaluation, a certificate will be automatically generated. This activity is valid for continuing education credit until May 31, 2019. CONTACT HOURS This activity is co-provided by Villanova University College of Nursing and SLACK Incorporated. Villanova University College of Nursing is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. OBJECTIVES Define the purpose of the Simulation Training in Early Emergency Response (STEER) study. Review the outcome of the STEER study. DISCLOSURE STATEMENT Neither the planners nor the author have any conflicts of interest to disclose. Little has been published about nurses' responses in the first 5 minutes of in-hospital emergencies. This study aimed to test a simulation curriculum based on institutional priorities using high-intensity, short-duration, frequent in situ content delivery based on deliberate practice. The study design was a prospective, single-center, mixed-methods quasi-experimental study. Scenarios used in this study were ventricular fibrillation, opiate-related respiratory depression, syncopal fall, and hemorrhagic stroke. The convenience sample included 41 teams (147 participants). Improvements were noted in initiating chest compressions (p = .018), time to check blood glucose (p = .046), and identification of heparin as a contributor to stroke (p = .043). Establishing in situ simulation-based teaching program is feasible and well received. This approach appears effective in increasing confidence, initiating life-saving measures, and empowering nurses to manage emergencies. Future studies should evaluate and improve on the curriculum, on data collection tools quantitatively, and on overcoming barriers to high-quality emergency care. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2016;47(6):255-263.