Sequential hand hygiene-promoting interventions, such as an education program, screen saver messages and an infection prevention week, can lead to a sustained low rate of nosocomial bloodstream infections, according to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control.
Researchers conducted an observational study an analyzed the occurrence of NBSIs in very low-birth weight infants before and after a hand hygiene interventions were implemented. A total of 1,964 very low-birth weight infants were admitted from 2002 through 2011.
Initially, there was a 42.6 percent incidence of NBSIs in very low-birth weight infants in a hospital's neonatal intensive care unit from 2002 through June 2005. After two intervention phases — one involving a one-month multifaceted hand hygiene education program and anther involving screen saver messages, an infection prevention week and promotion of consistent use of gloves — the rate of NBSI incidence dropped to 23.1 percent.
Also, the number of NBSIs per 1,000 patient days decreased from 16.8 in the baseline to 8.9 after the second phase of interventions.
"Sequential hand hygiene promotion seems to contribute to a sustained low NBSI rate," the study authors concluded.
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