Ethical Considerations in the Use of Subliminal Stimulation to Improve Handwashing Compliance Scientific Utility Versus Autonomy of the Individual

Nosocomial infections remain a significant problem for the healthcare system in the United States. At least 5% of patients will acquire an infection during their hospital stay, extending hospitalization by four days per infection, directly accounting for an estimated 60,000 deaths per year and an additional $10 billion of the amount spent on healthcare.Previous studies have demonstrated that pathogenic bacteria can be recovered from the hands of healthcare workers and transmitted to patients. Moreover, a recent study has shown that hand carriage of organisms and subsequent contact may be the most important mechanism of nosocomial infection transmission in the intensive care unit setting.