When implementing a hand hygiene program, emphasis on continuous monitoring and immediate feedback may help increase compliance rates, according to a study in American Journal of Infection Control.
Researchers at Mercy Hospital-Springfield (Mo.) deployed a hand hygiene monitoring program in two hospital care units. The program was comprised of four key elements: extensive education, conspicuous and visible monitors, immediate feedback regarding healthcare workers' compliance and real-time data communication with leadership.
In both units, hand hygiene dramatically increased: one department's compliance rose from 49 percent to 90 percent, and the other rose from 60 percent to 96 percent. These results were sustained for at least six months.
Researchers suggest continuous monitoring and immediate feedback are essential to successful hand hygiene programs.
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