TY - JOUR
T1 - A joint, multilateral approach to improve compliance with hand hygiene in 4 countries within the Baltic region using the World Health Organization's SAVE LIVES
T2 - Clean Your Hands model
AU - Lytsy, Birgitta
AU - Melbarde-Kelmere, Agita
AU - Hambraeus, Anna
AU - Liubimova, Anna
AU - Aspevall, Olov
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding/Support: Supported by the Swedish Institute.
Funding Information:
The present study is a subproject within the Baltic Antibiotic Resistance Collaboration Network. The Baltic Antibiotic Resistance Collaboration Network was founded in 2011 and is a network of experts for exchange of knowledge and experience within the field of antibiotic resistance and infection control. It is coordinated by the Public Health Agency of Sweden and is financed by the Swedish Institute. Country members of the network are currently Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Saint Petersburg in Russia, Sweden, and Ukraine.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.
Copyright:
Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/11/1
Y1 - 2016/11/1
N2 - Background The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to explore the usefulness of a modified World Health Organization (WHO) hand hygiene program to increase compliance with hand hygiene among health care workers (HCWs) in Latvia, Lithuania, Saint Petersburg (Russia), and Sweden and to provide a basis for continuing promotion of hand hygiene in these countries. The study was carried out in 2012. Thirteen hospitals participated, including 38 wards. Methods Outcome data were handrub consumption, compliance with hand hygiene measured with a modified WHO method, and assessment of knowledge among HCWs. Interventions were education of the nursing staff, posters and reminders in strategic places in the wards, and feedback of the results to nursing staff in ward meetings. Results Feedback of results was an effective tool for education at the ward level. The most useful outcome measurement was handrub consumption, which increased by at least 50% in 30% of the wards. In spite of this, handrub consumption remained at a low level in many of the wards. Conclusions There are several reasons for this, and the most important were self-reported nursing staff shortage and fear of adverse effects from using alcoholic handrub and verified skin irritation.
AB - Background The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to explore the usefulness of a modified World Health Organization (WHO) hand hygiene program to increase compliance with hand hygiene among health care workers (HCWs) in Latvia, Lithuania, Saint Petersburg (Russia), and Sweden and to provide a basis for continuing promotion of hand hygiene in these countries. The study was carried out in 2012. Thirteen hospitals participated, including 38 wards. Methods Outcome data were handrub consumption, compliance with hand hygiene measured with a modified WHO method, and assessment of knowledge among HCWs. Interventions were education of the nursing staff, posters and reminders in strategic places in the wards, and feedback of the results to nursing staff in ward meetings. Results Feedback of results was an effective tool for education at the ward level. The most useful outcome measurement was handrub consumption, which increased by at least 50% in 30% of the wards. In spite of this, handrub consumption remained at a low level in many of the wards. Conclusions There are several reasons for this, and the most important were self-reported nursing staff shortage and fear of adverse effects from using alcoholic handrub and verified skin irritation.
KW - Hand hygiene
KW - health care–associated infections
KW - hygiene, infection control
KW - WHO's Clean Your Hands
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84963851063&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ajic.2016.03.009
DO - 10.1016/j.ajic.2016.03.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 27106164
AN - SCOPUS:84963851063
SN - 0196-6553
VL - 44
SP - 1208
EP - 1213
JO - American Journal of Infection Control
JF - American Journal of Infection Control
IS - 11
ER -
