Reducing CLABSI through a quality strategy for the implementation of the aseptic non-touch technique in a pediatric ward.

BACKGROUND: Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are among the most epidemiologically relevant health care-associated infections. The aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT) is a standardized practice used to prevent CLABSIs. In a pediatric hospital, the overall CLABSI rate was 1.92/1000 catheter days (CD). However, in one unit, the rate was 5.7/1000 CD. METHODS: Nurses were trained in ANTT. For the implementation, plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles were completed. Adherence monitoring of the ANTT and epidemiological surveillance were performed. RESULTS: ANTT adherence of 95% was achieved after 6 PDSA cycles. Hand hygiene and general cleaning reached 100% adherence. Port disinfection and material collection had the lowest adherence rates, with 76.2% and 84.7%, respectively. The CLABSI rate decreased from 5.7 to 1.26/1000 CD. CONCLUSION: The implementation of ANTT helped reduce the CLABSI rate. Training and continuous monitoring are key to maintaining ANTT adherence.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Las infecciones relacionadas con catéteres venosos centrales son unas de las infecciones asociadas a la atención de salud con mayor relevancia epidemiológica. La técnica aséptica «no tocar¼ es una práctica estandarizada que se utiliza para prevenir estas infecciones. En un hospital pediátrico, la tasa de infecciones relacionadas con catéteres venosos centrales fue de 1.92/1000 días de catéter. Sin embargo, en una de las unidades la tasa fue de 5.7/1000 días de catéter. MÉTODO: Se capacitaron enfermeras en la técnica aséptica «no tocar¼. Para la implementación se cumplieron ciclos de planificar-hacer-estudiar-actuar (PHEA). Se realizaron seguimiento de la adherencia a la técnica y vigilancia epidemiológica. RESULTADOS: Se logró una adherencia a la técnica aséptica «no tocar¼ del 95% después de seis ciclos. La higiene de manos y la limpieza general alcanzaron un 100% de cumplimiento. La desinfección de los puertos y la recolección de material alcanzaron la menor adherencia, con un 76.2% y un 84.7%, respectivamente. La tasa de infecciones relacionadas con catéteres venosos centrales disminuyó de 5.7 a 1.26 por 1000 días de catéter. CONCLUSIONES: La implementación de la técnica aséptica «no tocar¼ ayudó en la reducción de infecciones relacionadas con catéteres venosos centrales. La capacitación y el seguimiento continuo son clave para mantener el cumplimiento de la técnica.

Hand Hygiene Education Components Among First-Year Nursing Students: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Few studies have directly and objectively measured the individual and combined effects of multifaceted hand hygiene education programs. Objective: To evaluate the individual and combined immediate effects of an instructional video and hand scan images on handwashing quality, decontamination, and knowledge improvement. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cluster randomized clinical trial was conducted in June to July 2023 among first-year nursing students at a university in Hong Kong. The study used an intention-to-treat analysis. Intervention: Hand hygiene education sessions featuring an instructional video, hand scan images, or both. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the change in residue from fluorescent lotion remaining on participants' hands after handwashing before and after the intervention. The secondary outcomes included handwashing quality and knowledge of hand hygiene. Results: A total of 270 of 280 students (mean [SD] age, 19 [1] years; 182 [67.4%] female) participated in the trial (96.4% participation rate). Participants were randomized to a control group (66 participants), hand scan image group (68 participants), instructional video group (67 participants), and hand scan image with instructional video group (69 participants). All intervention groups had greater reductions in residue after the intervention compared with the control group, although none reached statistical significance (hand scan image group: 3.9 [95% CI, 2.0-5.8] percentage points; instructional video group: 4.8 [95% CI, 2.9-6.7] percentage points; hand scan image with instructional video: 3.5 [95% CI, 1.6-5.4] percentage points; control group: 3.2 [95% CI, 1.3-5.2] percentage points). The instructional video group showed a significant improvement in their handwashing performance, with a higher percentage of participants correctly performing all 7 steps compared with the control group (22.4% [95% CI, 13.1% to 31.6%] vs 1.5% [-7.9% to 10.9%]; P < .001). Hand scan images revealed that wrists, fingertips, and finger webs were the most commonly ignored areas in handwashing. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cluster randomized clinical trial of an education program for hand hygiene, a handwashing instructional video and hand scan images did not enhance the level of decontamination. The intervention group had improved handwashing techniques compared with the control group, a secondary outcome. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05872581.

Quality improvement initiative 'S-A-F-H' to reduce healthcare-associated neonatal sepsis in a tertiary neonatal care unit.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among admitted neonates. Healthcare-associated infection (HAI) is a significant contributor in this cohort. LOCAL PROBLEM: In our unit, 16.1% of the admissions developed sepsis during their stay in the unit. METHOD: We formed a team of all stakeholders to address the issue. The problem was analysed using various tools, and the main contributing factor was low compliance with hand hygiene and handling of intravenous lines. INTERVENTIONS: The scrub the hub/aseptic non-touch technique/five moments of hand hygiene/hand hygiene (S-A-F-H) protocol was formulated as a quality improvement initiative, and various interventions were done to ensure compliance with hand hygiene, five moments of hand hygiene, aseptic non-touch technique. The data were collected and analysed regularly with the team members, and actions were planned accordingly. RESULTS: Over a few months, the team could reduce the incidence of HAI by 50%, which has been sustained for over a year. The improvement in compliance with the various aspects of S-A-F-H increased. CONCLUSIONS: Compliance with hand hygiene steps, five moments of hand hygiene and an aseptic non-touch technique using quality improvement methodology led to a reduction in neonatal sepsis incidence in the unit. Regular reinforcement is required to maintain awareness of asepsis practices and implementation in day-to-day care and to bring about behavioural changes.

Factors associated with hand hygiene adherence among healthcare workers in Guatemala during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections are prevalent in low- and middle-income countries and may be reduced through proper hand hygiene (HH) adherence during patient care. AIM: We produced and distributed alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) to 19 public primary- and secondary-level healthcare facilities in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, and carried out HH observations to assess healthcare workers' (HCWs) HH adherence, and to identify factors associated with this practice. HH adherence was defined as washing hands with soap and water or using ABHR. METHODS: Observations were conducted before (2021, baseline) and after (2022, follow-up) ABHR distribution to evaluate the evolution of HH practices over time. Bivariate comparisons and mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to explore associations between HH adherence and the following independent variables: healthcare facility level, type of contact performed, timing of HH performance, occupational category of HCW and materials present (e.g., water, soap, ABHR). FINDINGS: We observed 243 and 300 patient interactions among 67 and 82 HCWs at each time point, respectively. HH adherence was low for both observation periods (40% at baseline and 35% at follow-up). HCWs were more likely to adhere to HH during invasive contacts, after patient contact, and if the HCW was a physician. CONCLUSION: HH adherence varied by scenario, which underscores the importance of addressing multiple determinants of behaviour change to improve adherence. This requires interventions implemented with a multi-modal approach that includes both increasing access to HH materials and infrastructure, as well as HH education and training, monitoring and feedback, reminders, and promoting a HH safety culture.

Ten years of hand hygiene excellence: a summary of outcomes, and a comparison of indicators, from award-winning hospitals worldwide.

BACKGROUND: Hand hygiene is a crucial measure for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The Hand Hygiene Excellence Award (HHEA) is an international programme acknowledging healthcare facilities for their leadership in implementing hand hygiene improvement programmes, including the World Health Organisation's Multimodal Improvement Strategy. This study aimed at summarising the results of the HHEA campaign between 2010 and 2021 and investigating the relationship between different hand hygiene parameters based on data from participating healthcare facilities. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on datasets from HHEA forms, including data on hand hygiene compliance, alcohol-based handrub (ABHR) consumption, and Hand Hygiene Self-Assessment Framework (HHSAF) scores. Descriptive statistics were reported for each variable. The correlation between variables was inspected through Kendall's test, while possible non-linear relationships between hand hygiene compliance, ABHR consumption and HHSAF scores were sought through the Locally Estimated Scatterplot Smoothing or logistic regression models. A tree-structured partitioning model was developed to further confirm the obtained findings. RESULTS: Ninety-seven healthcare facilities from 28 countries in three world regions (Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America) were awarded the HHEA and thus included in the analysis. HHSAF scores indicated an advanced hand hygiene promotion level (median 445 points, IQR 395-480). System change (100 [95-100] points) and institutional safety climate (85 [70-95] points) showed the highest and lowest score, respectively. In most cases, hand hygiene compliance was above 70%, with heterogeneity between countries. ABHR consumption above 20 millilitres per patient-day (ml/PD) was widely reported, with overall increasing trends. HHSAF scores were positively correlated with hand hygiene compliance (τ = 0.211, p = 0.007). We observed a positive correlation between compliance rates and ABHR consumption (τ = 0.193, p < 0.001), although the average predicted consumption was stable around 55-60 ml/PD for compliance rates above 80-85%. Logistic regression and partitioning tree analyses revealed that higher HHSAF scores were more likely in the high-ABHR consumption group at cut-offs around 57-59 ml/PD. CONCLUSION: Ten years after its inception, the HHEA proves to be a valuable hand hygiene improvement programme in healthcare facilities worldwide. Consistent results were provided by the different hand hygiene indicators and the HHSAF score represents a valuable proxy measure of hand hygiene compliance.

Disinfection and hand hygiene knowledge, attitude, and practices among childcare facilities staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in Anhui, China: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding disinfection and hand hygiene, along with associated influencing factors among childcare facilities staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in Anhui, and to provide information for developing disinfection and hand hygiene strategies for childcare facilities. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among Anhui Province residents in China in September 2020. In this study, 60 childcare facilities in two cities of Anhui Province were selected using the convenient sampling method for questionnaires. The questionnaires were distributed through a web-based platform. The disinfection and hand hygiene KAP scores among childcare facilities staff were calculated, and their influencing factors were analyzed. The accuracy rates of knowledge, attitude, and practice of behavior were calculated and analyzed. Results: A total of 1,029 participants were included in the study. The disinfection and hand hygiene knowledge, attitude and practice ranged from approximately 5 to 23, 1 to 5, 3 to 13, respectively. The score of urban areas was higher than that of rural areas. Higher education levels and more years of working were associated with higher scores. Additionally, staff who received training or supervision had higher scores than those without. The categories with the lowest knowledge accuracy rate (46.3%), lowest attitude accuracy rate (4.2%), and "always" practice rate (5.3%) among childcare facility staff were all related to the question categories concerning the appropriate range of disinfectants for use. The accuracy rates of hand hygiene knowledge and attitude among the childcare facility staff were high (83.7%-99.6%), but the "always" practice rate was in the middle range (63.0%). Conclusion: The disinfection and hand hygiene knowledge among childcare facilities staff was inadequate during the COVID-19 pandemic in Anhui. Continuous implementation of education and training, particularly in rural areas, is essential. Establishing a monitoring system to assess usage effectiveness and adverse reactions in China is critical. Interventions should focus on increasing compliance with hand hygiene practices. Further research should explore the training and intervention of disinfection and hand hygiene, the safety of disinfection measures, and more operational hand hygiene methods in childcare facilities.

Impacts of intelligent monitoring technology installation and additional modalities on hand hygiene compliance in a burn center: A quasi-experimental longitudinal trial.

BACKGROUND: The increasing development of intelligent technologies for hand hygiene (HH) compliance audit has the potential to create an alternative to direct observation (DO), which is still considered the gold standard but has disadvantages such as lack of standardized monitoring practices, Hawthorne effect, insufficient sample size, and time/resource consumption. We aimed to share our preliminary results on the impacts of intelligent monitoring technology installation (IMTI) and additional modalities on healthcare workers' (HCWs') HH compliance in a Burn Center, according to the "5 Moments of HH" concept defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). METHODS: A quasi-experimental longitudinal trial was conducted over eleven months.The first phase of the three-stage study evaluated basic HH compliances obtained by DO. The system-defined HH performances, which IMTI recorded, were assessed in the second phase. Finally, the effect of IMTI and additional modalities was determined in the third stage. RESULTS: 15202 HH events were performed by 41 HCWs, and a total of 20095 HH opportunities were observed. Four hundred fifty-five opportunities were in the preinstallation phase, and 19640 were during the total post-installation period. IMTIdefined performance rates in both Phase 2 (71.2%) and Phase 3 (80.5%) were generally considerably higher than HH compliances obtained from DO (58.5%). Nurses, physical therapy /anesthesia technicians, and housekeeping personnel showed significant increases, which was insignificant in physicians in phase 2. Meanwhile, a sustained increase was observed regarding IMTI and additional modalities of HH compliance of all HCWs in Phase 3. CONCLUSION: IMTI has significantly increased HH performance rates. Furthermore, combining the IMTI with additional modalities as components of a multimodal strategy recommended by WHO appears to affect the sustainability of the increasing trend of HCWs' HH compliance.

Effectiveness of hand hygiene campaigns and interventions across the League of Arab States: a region-wide scoping review.

Hand hygiene is a standard public health practice for limiting the spread of infectious diseases, yet they are still not routine global health behaviours. This review aimed to examine the effectiveness of various hand hygiene interventions conducted across the League of Arab States, identify gaps in the existing literature, and propose areas for future research and intervention development. A scoping review was conducted across 16 databases for relevant publications published up to and including October 2023. Forty studies met the inclusion criteria; of these, 34 were hospital-based and six community-based. Of the reviewed studies, 24 provided adequate details that would enable replication of their intervention. Eighteen of the studies used some variation of the World Health Organization's Five Moments for intervention content or assessment. More than half (N = 25) reported healthcare worker or student hand hygiene behaviours as an outcome and 15 studies also included some form of patient-centred outcomes. Six studies specified the use of theory or framework for their evaluation design or intervention content, and four studies mentioned use of local government guidelines or recommendations. Future research should focus on bridging the literature gaps by emphasizing community-based studies and integrating cultural nuances into intervention designs. Additionally, applying theoretical frameworks to hand hygiene studies could enhance understanding and effectiveness, ensuring sustainable improvements in hygiene practices across diverse settings in the League of Arab States.

Nursing students led simulations to improve healthcare workers' hand hygiene compliance.

BACKGROUND: Hand hygiene compliance (HHC) is recognised as a major factor in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections. Healthcare workers (HCWs) compliance is still suboptimal. Simulation as an educational strategy may contribute to improved performance. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the effect of simulation interventions led by nursing students on HCWs' HHC. METHOD: A prospective quasi-experimental design with before and after intervention measurements was implemented in an 1150-bed tertiary hospital. Four consecutive periods, measuring before and after HHC, were examined in four hospital divisions. For each division, unique simulation activities were developed and led by nursing students, educators, and hospital leaders. Sixty seven students and 286 healthcare workers, along with two nurse educators, participated in the simulation sessions. HHC of all HCWs in the divisions was assessed by hospital infection control personnel. RESULTS: Hospital HHC rose across the four periods in all four divisions during this study. In three out of four periods and divisions, HHC increased significantly more in the simulation intervention groups compared to the overall hospital improvement. CONCLUSION: Student-led simulation for HCWs is an additional effective method to improve HHC. Nursing managers should consider joining forces with nursing educators to enable students to become agents of change in healthcare settings and encourage further collaboration.

Impact of different hand-drying methods on surrounding environment: aerosolization of virus and bacteria, and transfer to surfaces.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, hand drying has been highlighted as a key step in appropriate hand hygiene, as moisture on hands can increase the transfer of micro-organisms from hands to surfaces and vice versa. AIM: To understand bacterial and viral aerosolization following hand drying, and study the transfer of micro-organisms from hands to surfaces after drying using different methods. METHODS: Groups of five volunteers had their hands pre-washed with soap, rinsed and dried, then inoculated with a concentrated mixture of Pseudomonas fluorescens and MS2 bacteriophage. Volunteers entered an empty washroom, one at a time, and rinsed their hands with water or washed their hands with soap prior to drying with a jet dryer or paper towels. Each volunteer applied one hand successively to various surfaces, while their other hand was sampled using the glove juice method. Both residual bacteria and viruses were quantified from the washroom air, surface swabs and hand samples. FINDINGS: P. fluorescens and MS2 bacteriophages were rarely aerosolized while drying hands for any of the drying methods studied. Results also showed limited, and similar, transfer of both micro-organisms studied on to surfaces for all drying methods. CONCLUSION: The use of jet dryers or paper towels produces low levels of aerosolization when drying hands in a washroom. Similarly, all drying methods result in low transfer to surfaces. While the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic raised concerns regarding public washrooms, this study shows that all methods tested are hygienic solutions for dry washed hands.

Hand hygiene compliance in nursing home wards: the effect of increased accessibility of alcohol-based hand rub.

BACKGROUND: Elderly nursing home residents are vulnerable to infection from micro-organisms. Hand hygiene is considered one of the most important measures to prevent transmission. AIM: To determine the effect of increased accessibility to alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) in nursing home wards by monitoring hand hygiene compliance (HHC) among healthcare workers (HCWs). METHODS: An 11-month intervention study was conducted in a Danish six-ward nursing home. Data were collected using an automatic hand hygiene monitoring system (AHHMS). After a baseline period, one extra ABHR dispenser was placed in each of the 150 apartments. Baseline HHC was compared with the HHC during an immediate intervention period and a long-term intervention period. FINDINGS: A total of 159 HCWs were included. The AHHMS registered 341,078 hand hygiene opportunities. Overall baseline HHC was 31% (95% confidence interval: 30-32). A significant +18% absolute immediate effect (first five months) (95% CI: 17-19; P < 0.0001) and +13 percentage points (95% CI: 11-14; P < 0.0001) long-term effect (another four months) were recorded. HCWs working day shifts and short-term employees had a higher baseline HHC than HCWs working evening/night shifts. However, HCWs working night shifts achieved the greatest long-term effect with a mean +27 percentage point difference (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Placing an additional ABHR dispenser strategically within staff workflow significantly increased HHC among HCWs, demonstrating a noteworthy effect. The study is the first to report the effect on nursing home dispenser accessibility as a single intervention and to show a significant unmet potential.

Should automated electronic hand-hygiene monitoring systems be implemented in routine patient care? Systematic review and appraisal with Medical Research Council Framework for Complex Interventions.

Manual hand-hygiene audit is time-consuming, labour-intensive and inaccurate. Automated hand-hygiene monitoring systems (AHHMSs) offer advantages (generation of standardized data, avoidance of the Hawthorne effect). World Health Organization Guidelines for Hand Hygiene published in 2009 suggest that AHHMSs are a possible alternative. The objective of this review was to assess the current state of the literature for AHHMSs and offer recommendations for use in real-world settings. This was a systematic literature review, and publications included were from the time that PubMed commenced until 19th November 2023. Forty-three publications met the criteria. Using the Medical Research Council's Framework for Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions, two were categorized as intervention development studies. Thirty-nine were evaluations. Two described implementation in real-world settings. Most were small scale and short duration. AHHMSs in conjunction with additional intervention (visual or auditory cue, performance feedback) could increase hand hygiene compliance in the short term. Impact on infection rates was difficult to determine. In the few publications where costs and resources were considered, time devoted to improving hand hygiene compliance increased when an AHHMS was in use. Health workers' opinions about AHHMSs were mixed. In conclusion, at present too little is known about the longer-term advantages of AHHMSs to recommend uptake in routine patient care. Until more longer-term accounts of implementation (over 12 months) become available, efforts should be made to improve direct observation of hand hygiene compliance to improve its accuracy and credibility. The Medical Research Council Framework could be used to categorize other complex interventions involving use of technology to prevent infection to help establish readiness for implementation.

The combined application of hand hygiene and non-sterile gloves by nurses in a tertiary hospital: a multi methods study.

BACKGROUND: The application of hand hygiene (HH) and the use of non-sterile gloves (NSG) in daily care is highly intertwined. We aimed (1) to assess the combined application of HH and NSG among nurses and (2) to explore determinants that influence their ability to combine both measures in their care. METHODS: In a multi-methods study, we combined direct observations of care episodes with semi-structured interviews with nurses in two affiliated university hospitals. Topics were based on Flottorp's checklist of determinants of practice. RESULTS: In total, we observed 205 care episodes and interviewed 10 nurses. Observations revealed that the combination of NSG and HH was correctly applied in 19% of care episodes in which a single procedure was executed, and in 2% of care episodes in which multiple procedures were performed. From the interviews, we found determinants that influenced compliance, covered mainly by three out of seven of Flottorp's checklist domains. Nurses indicated that their knowledge of protocols was limited to HH and protocols were hardly ever actively consulted; visual reminders within their workplace were used as sources of information. Nurses' behavior was primarily influenced by their ability to operationalize this information and their ability to integrate both infection prevention measures into their care. The intention to apply and combine HH and NSG use was influenced by their risk assessment of cross-contamination, by the urge to self-protect and gut feeling. The feasibility to execute HH and NSG protocols is influenced by the urgency and the complexity of the care episode. CONCLUSIONS: The combined correct application with HH and NSG measures by nurses is low. Nurses are instructed in a fragmented way while in the day to day care HH and NSG use are highly intertwined. Operationalization and simplification of infection prevention protocols, in which instructions on both infection prevention measures are fused, should be considered. Strategies to improve practice should consider the power of habit and nurses urge to self-protect.

Updates and future directions regarding hand hygiene in the healthcare setting: insights from the 3rd ICPIC alcohol-based handrub (ABHR) task force.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pose threats to global health. Effective hand hygiene is essential for preventing HAIs and the spread of AMR in healthcare. We aimed to highlight the recent progress and future directions in hand hygiene and alcohol-based handrub (ABHR) use in the healthcare setting. In September 2023, 42 experts in infection prevention and control (IPC) convened at the 3rd International Conference on Prevention and Infection Control (ICPIC) ABHR Taskforce in Geneva, Switzerland. The purpose of this meeting was to provide a synthesis of recent evidence and formulate a research agenda on four critical areas for the implementation of effective hand hygiene practices: (1) ABHR formulations and hand rubbing techniques, (2) low-resource settings and local production of ABHR, (3) hand hygiene monitoring and technological innovations, and (4) hand hygiene standards and guidelines.

Hand hygiene in a clinical setting: Evaluation of an electronic monitoring system in relation to direct observations.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the accuracy of an electronic monitoring system for assessing hand hygiene in a clinical setting in relation to direct observations. METHODS: An electronic monitoring system was installed in a surgical ward at a tertiary hospital in Sweden. Hand hygiene events registered by the system were compared with direct observations conducted simultaneously by a trained observer following the World Health Organization's "My five moments for hand hygiene". A 4-step protocol was developed to evaluate the system's ability to accurately monitor hand hygiene in a clinical setting. RESULTS: A total of 947 opportunities for hand hygiene were observed during June to December 2019. Of these, 484 opportunities were correctly captured by the electronic monitoring system and included in the calculations for accuracy. Sensitivity was 90.2% with a positive predictive value of 95.7%, while specificity was 50.0% with a negative predictive value of 29.0%. Overall accuracy was 87.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluating technical systems assessing hand hygiene in clinical settings is hampered by several challenges. The 4-step protocol helped to identify the limitations and strengths of the evaluated electronic monitoring system, revealing high accuracy while also detecting system errors.

To Analyze and Evaluate the Rate of Compliance of Hand Hygiene Practices in a Tertiary Care Hospital: Initiation of Quality Improvement Program and Clinical Audit.

INTRODUCTION: Health care as a service organization is associated with hospital-acquired infection which is drawing attention. There are concerns raised by patients, attenders, stake holders, insurers, government agencies, and regulatory bodies. The study aims to evaluate the awareness and the rate of compliance with hand hygiene. METHODS: The audit methodology implemented is a concurrent medical record audit. The period of the audit was conducted for 6 months. A random sampling method was incorporated. The sample size was determined as 20% of the staff had been involved. RESULTS: The Total average level of awareness of hand hygiene and adherence to policy is 93.6%. The average of all the 3 categories of compliance at 5 levels of hand hygiene in percentage is 82.3%. DISCUSSION: Hand hygiene practices if stringently implemented will minimize the cross-transmission of infection in health care facilities. By knowing the awareness level and compliance level are measured with standardized training modules. APPLICATIONS: Create awareness on hand hygiene and provide training with respect to the effectiveness of implementation. Incorporate hand hygiene steps as well as in the audit process. CONCLUSIONS: There is a requirement for training with respect to the effectiveness of the implementation of the techniques. The level of care and quality of services can be made better by incorporating quality improvement programs (QIPs). By regular audits, we can raise the service quality and benchmark it.

Alcohol-based decontamination of gloved hands: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The gold standard for hand hygiene (HH) while wearing gloves requires removing gloves, performing HH, and donning new gloves between WHO moments. The novel strategy of applying alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) directly to gloved hands might be effective and efficient. DESIGN: A mixed-method, multicenter, 3-arm, randomized trial. SETTING: Adult and pediatric medical-surgical, intermediate, and intensive care units at 4 hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Healthcare personnel (HCP). INTERVENTIONS: HCP were randomized to 3 groups: ABHR applied directly to gloved hands, the current standard, or usual care. METHODS: Gloved hands were sampled via direct imprint. Gold-standard and usual-care arms were compared with the ABHR intervention. RESULTS: Bacteria were identified on gloved hands after 432 (67.4%) of 641 observations in the gold-standard arm versus 548 (82.8%) of 662 observations in the intervention arm (P < .01). HH required a mean of 14 seconds in the intervention and a mean of 28.7 seconds in the gold-standard arm (P < .01). Bacteria were identified on gloved hands after 133 (98.5%) of 135 observations in the usual-care arm versus 173 (76.6%) of 226 observations in the intervention arm (P < .01). Of 331 gloves tested 6 (1.8%) were found to have microperforations; all were identified in the intervention arm [6 (2.9%) of 205]. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with usual care, contamination of gloved hands was significantly reduced by applying ABHR directly to gloved hands but statistically higher than the gold standard. Given time savings and microbiological benefit over usual care and lack of feasibility of adhering to the gold standard, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization should consider advising HCP to decontaminate gloved hands with ABHR when HH moments arise during single-patient encounters.Trial Registration: NCT03445676.

Effect and Process Evaluation of an Intervention to Improve Hand Hygiene Compliance in Long-Term Care Facilities.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the effect of a tailored, multifaceted improvement strategy on hand hygiene compliance in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). We also performed a process evaluation to explore the mechanisms through which our strategy brought about change. DESIGN: We conducted a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized controlled trial with a sequential rollout of the improvement strategy to all participating LTCFs. The strategy consisted of education, training, reminders, observation sessions (including feedback), and team meetings (including feedback). SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The study included nursing professionals from 14 LTCFs (23 wards) in the Netherlands. METHODS: Hand hygiene compliance was observed during 5 measurement periods using WHO's "Five Moments for Hand Hygiene." Multilevel analyses and corresponding tests were completed on an intention-to-treat basis. RESULTS: The absolute intervention effect of overall hand hygiene compliance (primary outcome measure) was 13% (95% CI 9.3-16.7, P < .001), adjusted for time and clustering. The adjusted absolute effect was 23% (95% CI 7-39, P < .002) before a clean and aseptic procedure, 18% (95% CI 10-26, P < .001) after touching a resident, 14% (95% CI 7-22, P < .003) before touching a resident, 10% (95% CI 5-15, P < .001) after contact with body fluid, and 1% (95% CI -11 to 13, P = .8) after touching a resident's surroundings. With the exception of leadership, participants at LTCFs with more exposure to the intervention components showed statistically significantly more improvement than those at facilities with lower exposure scores. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Our strategy was successful in improving hand hygiene compliance. LTCFs with more team members exposed to the different intervention components, demonstrated a greater effect from the intervention. To strengthen the impact of our intervention, we recommend that future improvement strategies provide more support to managers to ensure they are better equipped to take on their leadership roles and enable their teams to improve and maintain hand hygiene compliance.

Intervención educativa virtual sobre higiene de manos para estudiantes de enfermería de una universidad privada de la selva peruana / [Virtual educational intervention on hand hygiene for nursing students from a private university in the Peruvian jungle]

Introducción: Las manos son el vehículo más común para la transmisión de microorganismos en el entorno sanitario. Por esta razón, se necesita promover el cumplimiento habitual de la higiene de las manos. Objetivo: Evaluar el efecto de una intervención educativa virtual para los conocimientos y las prácticas sobre la higiene de manos en los estudiantes de enfermería. Métodos: El diseño de estudio fue cuasi-experimental (pre-post test) en 61 estudiantes de enfermería. Se efectuó una intervención educativa virtual de manera teórica y demostrativa para medir el conocimiento sobre la higiene de manos, las prácticas del lavado de manos clínico y la fricción de manos por base alcohólica. Se empleó la prueba T-Student para muestras pareadas y la prueba de U de Mann Whitney. Resultados: Hubo una mejora significativa en el conocimiento y las prácticas sobre la higiene de manos entre los estudiantes después de la intervención (p:<0,001). Conclusiones: La intervención educativa virtual tuvo un efecto en el aumento de los conocimientos y las prácticas sobre la higiene de manos. Se recomienda que se impulse este tipo de intervención de manera continua desde pregrado. (AU)