Compliance with hand hygiene in a genitourinary medicine department

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 782-783 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Samraj ◽  
J Westbury ◽  
A Pallett ◽  
D Rowen
Keyword(s):  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Performance Feedback ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Medicine Department ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Hospital Acquired ◽  
Essential Prerequisite ◽  
Anatomical Area

The ability to control hospital-acquired infections is highly dependent upon control of cross-contamination from health-care workers to patients, and from one anatomical area of the patient to another anatomical area. Hand hygiene has been demonstrated to be an essential prerequisite in preventing cross-contamination. Wearing gloves does not afford complete protection against cross-contamination. Hand hygiene includes handwashing between patients, the use of alcohol-based skin cleansers and changing or removing gloves between examining different anatomical sites. There are no previously published audits regarding compliance to hand hygiene in genitourinary (GU) medicine clinics. A validated observation tool was employed in this audit. Doctors and nurses were observed in clinical practice. The adherence to hand hygiene protocols was overall poor. Doctors were more likely to adhere to protocols than nurses (83.3% vs. 66%). However, techniques of glove removal were universally satisfactory. Strategies for improvement in hand hygiene are suggested. These include performance feedback and use of posters.

scholarly journals Awareness of Hand Hygiene in Hospital Set-up for Infection Control: Knowledge-based Questionnaire for Health Care Workers in a Teaching Hospital

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1773-1779
Author(s):  
Easwaran Subbalakshmi ◽  
P. Abirami ◽  
Vidhya Subramanian ◽  
Sumitha A. ◽  
H.Kalavathy Victor
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Adequate Knowledge ◽  
Hand Wash ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Hospital Acquired

The notion of hygiene is built on the relationship between cleanliness and the maintenance of good health. Hand washing technique is the rubbing together of all parts of the hands, including all the clefts using soap and water. Hand hygiene is the first step in preventing cross-transmission of microorganisms, which can help in prevention of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs). The entire world is in fact, emphasizing the importance of hand wash for the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic. The germs causing infection in a health care setting can be transmitted through contaminated hands. Health care-associated pathogens can be acquired from any source, mainly from infected or draining wounds, patients’ skin, aprons they wear, mattresses they use, bedside furniture and other objects in the immediate environment of the patient. Organisms such as S. aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella spp., Acinetobacter spp., Enterococci, play an important role in HAIs. Although hand hygiene procedures are relatively simple, several studies have mentioned that health care workers do not adhere to this properly. Poor hand hygiene compliance has been one of the leading contributory factors to Health Care Acquired Infections (HCAIs). Reasons for low hand hygiene adherence include location of sinks in an inconvenient place, tight work schedule, reluctance as well as lack of role models and not being aware of implementation guidelines. Aim: To analyze the awareness of hand hygiene among health care workers in a hospital set-up for infection control. The goal of the study is to get a better insight of and explore the knowledge and awareness on hand hygiene among health care workers in a tertiary care hospital. Objective: To find out the lacunae in hand hygiene and to formulate and take measures to prevent HAIs and multidrug-resistant pathogens. Methods: The study was done through a self-administered questionnaire. Results: A total of 134 people participated which included 75 doctors (56%), 38 nurses (28.4%), 11 lab technicians (8.2%) and others (7.4%). The overall response was good. Both the nurses and doctors had adequate knowledge about hand hygiene. However, the nurses had better knowledge regarding the steps of hand wash (78.9%) and the disposal of biomedical waste (94.7%). The knowledge about hand hygiene and biomedical waste management was better among nurses and lab technicians. Conclusion: Most health professionals had adequate knowledge about hand hygiene. However, they did not have adequate practice of handwashing which can be initiated with effective training. Antimicrobial soap should be available and should be easily accessible for routine hand wash in all patient care areas to improve hand hygiene and to prevent hospital acquired infections.

scholarly journals Hand hygiene: A self reported practice among health care workers in tertiary health institutions in Plateau State, Nige

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
Tolulope Afolaranmi ◽  
Hassan Zuwaira I ◽  
Nianglong Enoch N ◽  
Adem Issac I ◽  
Atsi Azi B ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Interval Estimate ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Health Institutions ◽  
Plateau State ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Background: Effective hand hygiene is the simplest proven and most cost effective means of reducing hospital acquired infections both among the health care providers and the receipts of health care services.   Hospital acquired infections have currently been identified as one of the challenges of health care delivery worldwide in view of its contribution to morbidity and mortality. Hence, it became imperative to assess the knowledge and practices of hand hygiene as well as its determinant among frontline health care workers in tertiary health institutions in Jos Plateau state Nigeria.Methodology: This was a cross sectional study conducted among 236 health care workers in two tertiary health institutions using quantitative method of data collection. Epi info version 7 was used for data analysis, Chi square test was used with odds ratio as point estimates and 95% confidence interval as the interval estimate. A probability value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The mean age of the respondents was 37.1 ± 7.2 years while 121 (51.3%) of the respondents had good knowledge of hand hygiene and self reported good hand hygiene practice found among 134 (56.8%) of the health care workers.Conclusion: This study has brought to light the unsatisfactory level of practice of hand hygiene among health workers and the need to urgently provide interventions to addressing it.

scholarly journals Are mobile phones of health care workers portals of pathogenic organisms causing hospital acquired infections in intensive care units? A mini systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-214
Author(s):  
M. Mukhtar-Yola ◽  
B. Andrew
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Background: Health care workers at the bedside of critically ill babies freely carry their mobile phones in between procedures and handling  patients. Concerns are rising as this may contribute to nosocomial infections with pathogenic bacteria. Aim: To determine if mobile phones of health care workers in Intensive care units carry potentially pathogenic bacteria leading to hospital acquired infections. Design: Systematic review.Data sources: Electronic databases (Medline via ovid, CINAHL, Web of science) and hand Searching of references and citations were done to identify studies. Screening and inclusion criteria were used to identify studies with a cross-sectional or cohort design. The search was limited to journal articles published between 2008-2015 and to English language. Quality assessment was done using the National Institute of Health tool for observational studies. Data was extracted on to excel sheets and analysed using SPSS version 22.Results: Six studies with a cohort (1) or cross-sectional design (5) involving 1, 131 health care workers were reviewed. The overall quality of the studies was fair, and a narrative synthesis was done. The colonization rate of the mobile phones ranged between 46.3 % and a 100% with 13-50% carrying potentially pathogenic multidrug resistant microorganisms. Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, Vancomycine resistant enterococci, acinobacter and coagulase negative staphylococci were reported across all studies and were recognized as leading causes of morbidity and mortalityin the ICU. Conclusion: Mobile phones Of HCW are portals of potentially pathogenic microorganisms, which could result in morbidity and mortality.Although no causal relationship could be established, strong associations have been reported. Guidelines by hospital infection control committees are needed on restriction, care and routine cleaning of mobile phones as well as further research. Key words: Health care worker, Intensive care unit, Hospital Acquired Infections, mobile phones

Hospital Medicine

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
James S. Newman ◽  
David J. Rosenman
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Nutritional Assessment ◽  
Hospital Medicine ◽  
Patient Acuity ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Complications Of Surgery ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Technologic advancements and other innovative efforts to improve the quality of hospital-based care have resulted in large and complicated networks of personnel, information systems, devices, medications, and countless other resources. In parallel with these changes, the medical acuity of the typical hospitalized patient has increased. The field of hospital medicine emerged in response to this combination of increasing hospital complexity, patient acuity, and professional demands. This chapter highlights several topics that may be unique to the hospital and are not discussed elsewhere in this textbook. They include interfaces among settings and people in the hospital, medication reconciliation, dismissal from the hospital, information systems, nutritional assessment and provision, geriatric assessment, complications of hospitalization, hospital-acquired infections, complications of surgery, the quality and safety movements, bioterrorism, and risks to health care workers.

scholarly journals KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF HAND HYGIENE AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN KARACHI

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 123-127
Author(s):  
Imran Ahmed ◽  
Asif Khan ◽  
Abdul Ahad Sohail ◽  
Mujeeb-ur- Rehman
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Time Required ◽  
Hospital Acquired ◽  
Tertiary Care Hospitals

Background: Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) are one of the most common problems encountered in health care. It is a major cause of concern for hospitals throughout the world. Methods: The study design was cross sectional and data was obtained from health care workers currently employed in hospitals. We selected tertiary care hospitals by convenient sampling technique. Data were analyzed through SPSS version 20. Results: A total of 330 health care workers were included in the study out of which 54.4% (180) were males and the rest 45.4% (150) were females. When the participants were asked of the minimum time required for alcohol based hand rub to eradicate the microorganisms, only 42% (138) were able to correctly answer that it takes 20 seconds. Conclusion: Our study identified considerable gaps in knowledge and practice in some key areas regarding hand hygiene which need re-emphasis through regular training sessions aim at keeping abreast with standard protocols of hand hygiene.

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