Improving Hand Hygiene adherence; A Quality improvement initiative

Abstract

Background:

Proper hand washing or use of antiseptic after each examination of a patient is an important measure in infection control in the hospitals. Hand washing prevents disease spread and reduces hospital-acquired infections by 50% and can thus save precious resources.¹ In Pakistan, infection control practices are not followed at most public sector hospitals and there is a need to establish an infection control program. ^1,2

Objectives: To measure hand hygiene practice at a tertiary cardiac care center and to provide and implement hand hygiene improving strategies.

Methodology

It was an observational study conducted at tertiary care hospital Rawalpindi. Non probability convenient sampling was done. Sample of 93 persons was taken from the hospital staff. Audit was performed over a period of one month (June, 2024). Observation time for each unit was 30 minutes in the morning every working day. It was an in-vivo observation (health care did not know about being observed).

Results:

This clinic audit was done to observe the practice pattern of medical and para-medical staff about hand hygiene. Total 73 health care workers were observed to have used alcohol scrub before/After touching the patients. Out of which staff nurses were 51(69.8%), physiotherapists were 6(8.2%), consultants were 5(6.8%), medical officers were 5(6.8%) and nursing assistants were 3(4.1%). The results were statistically significant with p value < 0.05 when compared with personnel who used alcohol scrub or who had not used before touching the patient.

Conclusion:

Staff nurses were found be mostly using alcohol scrub. And the patients who were on ventilators were preferred by health care providers to use alcohol scrub before and after handing those patients.

Keywords: Hand hygiene, healthcare workers