One size does not fit all: the effectiveness of messaging for hand hygiene compliance by profession in a tertiary hospital.

To determine the effectiveness of our messaging for hand hygiene compliance by profession, we conducted a hospital-wide survey followed by profession-specific focus group discussions to investigate impact, perceptions and areas for improvement. Results showed a good understanding that hand hygiene is a crucial part of the infection-prevention programme; however, the acceptance and impact of messages varied between professions and required tailoring. Motivation, use of influential role models and social cohesion should be considered when designing profession-specific messages to improve infection-prevention-related change uptake among healthcare professional groups.