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Measuring hand hygiene compliance rates in different special care settings: a comparative study of methodologies
- Source :
- International Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol 33, Iss C, Pp 205-208 (2015)
- Publication Year :
- 2014
-
Abstract
- Summary Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare methods for assessing compliance with hand hygiene in an intensive care unit (ICU), a step-down unit (SDU), and a hematology–oncology unit. Methods Over a 20-week period, we compared hand hygiene compliance measurements by three different methods: direct observation, electronic handwash counter for alcohol gel, and measuring the volume of product used (alcohol gel) in an ICU, an SDU, and a hematology–oncology unit of a tertiary care, private hospital. Results By direct observation we evaluated 1078 opportunities in the ICU, 1075 in the SDU, and 517 in the hematology–oncology unit, with compliance rates of 70.7%, 75.4%, and 73.3%, respectively. A total of 342 299, 235 914, and 248 698 hand hygiene episodes were recorded by the electronic devices in the ICU, SDU, and hematology–oncology unit, respectively. There were also 127.2ml, 85.3ml, and 67.6ml of alcohol gel used per patient-day in these units. We could find no correlation between the three methods. Conclusions Hand hygiene compliance was reasonably high in these units, as measured by direct observation. However, a lack of correlation with results obtained by other methodologies brings into question the validity of direct observation results, and suggests that periodic audits using other methods may be needed.
- Subjects :
- Microbiology (medical)
medicine.medical_specialty
Quality Assurance, Health Care
media_common.quotation_subject
Handwash
Audit
Medical Oncology
Tertiary care
lcsh:Infectious and parasitic diseases
law.invention
Alcohol-based hand-rub
Step-down unit
law
Hygiene
Medicine
Humans
lcsh:RC109-216
Intensive care unit
Hand Hygiene
Intensive care medicine
media_common
business.industry
Guideline adherence
Electronic handwash counter
Tertiary Healthcare
Direct observation
General Medicine
Hematology
Intensive Care Units
Infectious Diseases
Hematology–oncology unit
Emergency medicine
Special care
Guideline Adherence
business
Tertiary healthcare
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 18783511
- Volume :
- 33
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....9c4c03d28f0116c49dd3350c9b063c93