Infection control


In safe hands?


Despite hospitals’ best efforts to prevent patients from acquiring infections through hand hygiene environmental sanitation and isolation rooms, hospital-onset infections still occur. Poor hand hygiene is a well-known factor in the number of these healthcare-associated infections (HAIs); according to the OECD, just improving hand hygiene will prevent 30,000 deaths each year across all the G7 countries between 2015–50. With WHO projecting that 35–70% of HAIs can be reduced, what can hospitals do to improve hand hygiene to avoid HAIs? Sarah Harris asks Dr Janet Glowicz, MPH, PhD, RN, infection preventionist at the Division of Healthcare and Quality Promotion and Dr Shanina Knighton, PhD, RN, CIC, research associate professor in the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.


ffective hand hygiene plays a critical role in preventing the transmission of pathogens in healthcare settings. Pathogens responsible for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) can be transmitted through direct contact with contaminated hands, surfaces, or medical equipment. By practising proper hand hygiene, healthcare


E Practical Patient Care / www.practical-patient-care.com


personnel can interrupt the chain of infection and protect patients from harm. The consequences of HAIs can be severe, leading to prolonged hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and even mortality. Therefore, prioritising hand hygiene is essential for safeguarding patient well-being and maintaining the quality of healthcare delivery.


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