Hand hygiene


there has been a shift towards adopting technology to support infection prevention and control (IPC) teams. SureWash’s assessment- based hand hygiene training technology is widely used in both the US and UK and has been proven to increase compliance with both the WHO Five Moments and Hand Hygiene Technique, but also is a considerable time saver for IPC personnel from both a training and administration perspective. Using technology allows for short, repeated hand hygiene training sessions which are critical for developing and retaining manual skills (like hand hygiene) as it enables individuals build muscle memory and sustain proficiency over time. By combining an electronic monitoring


system, a training device, and a gel company, you have a complete solution that not only helps hospitals achieve the Leapfrog Group Hand Hygiene standard but would benefit healthcare facilities worldwide. Currently, there is no one sole supplier that provides this one-stop complete solution, but when we think of the future of hand hygiene, there is no doubt that this would be an extremely powerful advancement.


Buy-in from the top Gaining buy-in from top leadership to support a culture of change in IPC is vital for ensuring the successful implementation of new practices and protocols in healthcare settings. More than half of all hospitals report using


the Safety Grade or other Leapfrog ratings in CEO performance evaluations and as a result are releasing budget for measures to improve their grade.11 The use of safety and quality ratings in executive performance evaluations reflects a broader trend in healthcare, where transparency and accountability for patient safety and outcomes are increasingly emphasised. By tying executive performance to patient safety and quality measures, healthcare organisations aim to promote a culture of continuous improvement and better patient care. This is a key development in ensuring that budgets are made available for measures that can improve hospitals Leapfrog Safety Grade score.


Conclusion Although there are variations regarding hand hygiene improvement strategies in the US and UK, the core principals are fundamentally the same. Hospitals worldwide share the same goal of reducing HCAIs and improving patient outcomes. An integral part of this is to improve hand


hygiene compliance with both the Five Moments of hand hygiene and hand hygiene technique. What the Leapfrog Group standard has made


56 www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I March 2024


crystal clear is that achieving hand hygiene compliance and more importantly maintaining that compliance is not possible without the support of technology and buy in from Senior Management. This means a specific budget needs to be made available. Allocating a budget for infection prevention and control technology is an investment in patient safety, cost savings, regulatory compliance, and the overall well- being of both patients and healthcare workers. It also helps healthcare institutions maintain a strong reputation, stay prepared for public health emergencies, and drive continuous improvement in care delivery.


dirty hand in the latex glove”: a study of hand hygiene compliance when gloves are worn. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 32(12), 1194–1199. https://doi.org/10.1086/662619


8. NHS England (2018, November 2). The Atlas of Shared Learning Case study ‘The gloves are off’ campaign. Retrieved October 16, 2023, from https://www.england.nhs.uk/atlas_case_ study/the-gloves-are-off-campaign/


CSJ


References 1. Erasmus, V., Brouwer, W., van Beeck, E. F., Oenema, A., Daha, T. J., Richardus, J. H., Vos, M. C., & Brug, J. (2009). A qualitative exploration of reasons for poor hand hygiene among hospital workers: lack of positive role models and of convincing evidence that hand hygiene prevents cross-infection. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 30(5), 415–419. https:// doi.org/10.1086/596773


2. Tschudin-Sutter, S., Sepulcri, D., Dangel, M., Schuhmacher, H., & Widmer, A. F. (2015). Compliance with the World Health Organization hand hygiene technique: a prospective observational study. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 36(4), 482–483. https:// doi.org/10.1017/ice.2014.82


3. Widmer, A. F., Conzelmann, M., Tomic, M., Frei, R., & Stranden, A. M. (2007). Introducing alcohol-based hand rub for hand hygiene: the critical need for training. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 28(1), 50–54. https://doi. org/10.1086/510788


4. Arias, A. V., Garcell, H. G., Ochoa, Y. R., Arias, K. F., & Miranda, F. R. (2016). Assessment of hand hygiene techniques using the World Health Organization’s six steps. Journal of Infection and Public Health, 9(3), 366–369. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.jiph.2015.11.006


5. Allegranzi, B., Gayet-Ageron, A., Damani, N., Bengaly, L., McLaws, M. L., Moro, M. L., Memish, Z., Urroz, O., Richet, H., Storr, J., Donaldson, L., & Pittet, D. (2013). Global implementation of WHO’s multimodal strategy for improvement of hand hygiene: a quasi-experimental study. The Lancet. Infectious Diseases, 13(10), 843–851. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70163-4


6. Clancy, C., Delungahawatta, T., & Dunne, C. P. (2021). Hand-hygiene-related clinical trials reported between 2014 and 2020: a comprehensive systematic review. The Journal of Hospital Infection, 111, 6–26. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.jhin.2021.03.007


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About the author


Gerry Lacey, is the founder of SureWash, and Professor of Robotics at Maynooth University, Ireland. His research concentrates on Computer Vision, Augmented Reality and Human-Robot interaction and focuses on using technology to enhance the acquisition and measurement of physical skills. He is the co-founder of two companies that developed surgical simulators and hand hygiene training systems. Gerry is also an expert in human behaviour around hand hygiene and infection control and has contributed to many scientific studies in this field. Gerry is currently representing Ireland on the ISO Hand Hygiene committee to develop an international standard for hand hygiene in healthcare.


9. Boyce J. M. (2011). Measuring healthcare worker hand hygiene activity: current practices and emerging technologies. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 32(10), 1016–1028. https://doi.org/10.1086/662015


10. Edmond, M. B., Goodell, A., Zuelzer, W., Sanogo, K., Elam, K., & Bearman, G. (2010). Successful use of alcohol sensor technology to monitor and report hand hygiene compliance. The Journal of Hospital Infection, 76(4), 364–365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2010.07.006


11. The Leapfrog Group (n.d.). Leapfrog Annual Report. Retrieved October 19, 2023, from https://www.leapfroggroup.org/leapfrog- annual-report


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