A Three-Year Study of the Effectiveness of Hand-Hygiene Protocol Implementation at a University Hospital.
- Author:
Oh Mee KWEON
;
Eunsuk PARK
;
Dongsuk LEE
;
Ju Hyun LEE
;
Eun Jin HA
;
Dongeun YONG
;
Jun Yong CHOI
;
Ki Hwan KIM
;
Chul LEE
;
Kyungwon LEE
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Hand hygiene;
Hand hygiene improvement program;
Hand hygiene culture
- MeSH:
Bacteremia;
Committee Membership;
Compliance;
Enterococcus;
Hand Hygiene;
Incidence;
Organizational Culture;
Staphylococcus aureus
- From:Korean Journal of Nosocomial Infection Control
2012;17(2):53-60
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Compliance with hand hygiene protocols is one of the simplest ways to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Hand hygiene is influenced by individual habits and beliefs, as well as by local organizational culture practices. This study was performed in order to increase the rate of compliance to hand hygiene through changes in the organizational culture. METHODS: From 2009 through 2011, this study was performed in a 2,000-bed tertiary-care university hospital with more than 6,000 employees. The program was implemented mainly by team activities, and the leadership and hand hygiene steering committee members supported them. Goals for planning, intervention, and evaluation of the compliance rate for hand hygiene were made annually in the hospital. RESULTS: The rate of compliance to hand hygiene increased significantly each year (43.8% in 2008, 75.3% in 2009, 80.7% in 2010, and 83.2% in 2011). The detection rate of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and the incidence of healthcare-associated Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia decreased. CONCLUSION: The rate of compliance to hand hygiene was remarkably improved, and it continuously increased through systematic and continuous changes in the organizational culture. In addition, the detection rate of VRE and incidence of S. aureus bacteremia decreased. These results show that hand hygiene is an important factor for preventing HAIs.
