Vincent C C Cheng1, Josepha W M Tai2, W S Li2, P H Chau3, Simon Y C So4, Lisa M W Wong2, Radley H C Ching2, Modissa M L Ng2, Sara K Y Ho2, Doris W Y Lee2, W M Lee2, Sally C Y Wong4, K Y Yuen5. 1. Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. 2. Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. 3. School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. 4. Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. 5. Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. Electronic address: kyyuen@hkucc.hku.hk.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The importance of compliance with hand hygiene by patients is increasingly recognized to prevent health care-associated infections. METHODS: This descriptive study observed the effects of an education campaign, targeted to increase patients' self-initiated hand hygiene, and a hand hygiene ambassador-initiated directly observed hand hygiene program on patients' hand hygiene compliance in a university-affiliated hospital. RESULTS: The overall audited compliance of patients' self-initiated hand hygiene was only 37.5%, with a rate of 26.9% (112/416 episodes) before meals and medications, 27.5% (19/69 episodes) after using a urinal or bedpan, and 89.7% (87/97 episodes) after attending toilet facilities. Patients referred from a residential care home for older adults had significantly lower hand hygiene compliance (P = .007). Comparatively, the overall audited compliance of ambassador-initiated directly observed hand hygiene was 97.3% (428/440 episodes), which was significantly higher than patients' self-initiated hand hygiene via a patient education program (37.5%, 218/582 episodes, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Directly observed hand hygiene can play an important role in improving compliance with hand hygiene by hospitalized patients.
BACKGROUND: The importance of compliance with hand hygiene by patients is increasingly recognized to prevent health care-associated infections. METHODS: This descriptive study observed the effects of an education campaign, targeted to increase patients' self-initiated hand hygiene, and a hand hygiene ambassador-initiated directly observed hand hygiene program on patients' hand hygiene compliance in a university-affiliated hospital. RESULTS: The overall audited compliance of patients' self-initiated hand hygiene was only 37.5%, with a rate of 26.9% (112/416 episodes) before meals and medications, 27.5% (19/69 episodes) after using a urinal or bedpan, and 89.7% (87/97 episodes) after attending toilet facilities. Patients referred from a residential care home for older adults had significantly lower hand hygiene compliance (P = .007). Comparatively, the overall audited compliance of ambassador-initiated directly observed hand hygiene was 97.3% (428/440 episodes), which was significantly higher than patients' self-initiated hand hygiene via a patient education program (37.5%, 218/582 episodes, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Directly observed hand hygiene can play an important role in improving compliance with hand hygiene by hospitalized patients.
Authors: Vincent C C Cheng; Hong Chen; Shuk-Ching Wong; Jonathan H K Chen; Wing-Chun Ng; Simon Y C So; Tuen-Ching Chan; Sally C Y Wong; Pak-Leung Ho; Lona Mody; Felix H W Chan; Andrew T Y Wong; Kwok-Yung Yuen Journal: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Date: 2018-02-27 Impact factor: 3.254
Authors: Shanina C Knighton; Marian Richmond; Trina Zabarsky; Mary Dolansky; Herleen Rai; Curtis J Donskey Journal: Am J Infect Control Date: 2019-10-29 Impact factor: 2.918
Authors: Li Shen; Xiaoqing Wang; Junming An; Jialu An; Ning Zhou; Lu Sun; Hong Chen; Lin Feng; Jing Han; Xiaorong Liu Journal: Antimicrob Resist Infect Control Date: 2017-09-20 Impact factor: 4.887
Authors: Vincent C C Cheng; Shuk-Ching Wong; Jonathan H K Chen; Cyril C Y Yip; Vivien W M Chuang; Owen T Y Tsang; Siddharth Sridhar; Jasper F W Chan; Pak-Leung Ho; Kwok-Yung Yuen Journal: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Date: 2020-03-05 Impact factor: 3.254