Three successful interventions in health care workers that improve compliance with hand hygiene: Is sustained replication possible?

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• 作者：Michael Whitby ; Mary-Louise McLaws ; Karen Slater ; Edward Tong ; Barbara Johnson
• 刊名：American Journal of Infection Control
• 出版年：2008
• 出版时间：June 2008
• 年：2008
• 卷：36
• 期：5
• 页码：349-355
• 全文大小：391 K

文摘

Background

Hand hygiene (HH) compliance by health care workers has been universally disappointing. Two major programs (Washington and Geneva) have demonstrated interventions that induce sustained improvement. The introduction of alcohol-based hand rub (AHR) together with education also has been reported to improve compliance.

Methods

These interventions were replicated concurrently for 2 years in selected wards of an 800-bed university teaching hospital, with compliance assessed only within, not between, programs.

Results

No significant improvement in HH compliance was observed after the introduction of AHR (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.11; 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.93 to 1.33; P = .238) or substitution of AHR for a similar product (IRR = 1.10; 95 % CI = 0.91 to 1.32; P = .328) with concomitant education. The Washington program achieved a 48 % (IRR = 1.48, 95 % CI = 1.20 to 1.81; P < .001) improvement in compliance, sustained over 2 years. The Geneva program failed to induce a significant increase in HH compliance in 3 wards, but achieved a 56 % (IRR = 1.56; 95 % CI = 1.29 to 1.89; P < .001) improvement over the already high HH rate in 1 ward (infectious disease unit).

Conclusions

The Washington program demonstrated effectiveness in achieving sustained improved HH compliance, whereas the effect of the Geneva program was limited in those wards without strong medical leadership. Introduction of AHR without an associated behavioral modification program proved ineffective.