A nationwide covert observation study using a novel method for hand hygiene compliance in health care - 18/04/17

Highlights |
• | A novel covert observation method and reporting system was developed. |
• | The novel covert observation method is feasible for large-scale observation. |
• | Overall hand hygiene compliance by covert observation is low in Taiwan. |
• | Hand hygiene compliance increases significantly with an increase in the number of indications within 1 hand hygiene opportunity. |
Abstract |
Background |
Evaluation and feedback is a core hand hygiene (HH) improvement strategy. The covert observation method avoids observation bias inherent to the overt method. The aim of the study was to observe HH compliance by a novel covert method in a real-world setting.
Methods |
We conducted a 2-year, nationwide, prospective, observational study in teaching hospitals across Taiwan. Medical students and students who may have contact with patients in their careers were recruited as participants. A novel, shorthand notation method for covert observation was used. Observation results were reported through a study website.
Results |
There were a total of 25,379 HH opportunities covertly observed by 93 observers. Overall HH compliance was 32.0%. Health care workers had the highest HH compliance for indication 4 (42.6%), and the lowest for indication 5 (21.7%). Overall handrubbing percentage was high, reaching 83.6%. The HH compliance increased significantly with an increase in the number of indications within 1 HH opportunity (P < .001).
Conclusions |
The overall HH compliance by the covert observation method was low. An innovative shorthand notation method facilitated covert observation, and website reporting was demonstrated to be feasible for large-scale observation.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Key Words : Hand hygiene, Covert observation, Compliance, Handrubbing percentage, Taiwan
Plan
| Funding/support: Supported by the Taiwan Center for Disease Control (grant no. DOH9X-DC-1208). |
|
| Conflicts of interest: None to report. |
Vol 45 - N° 3
P. 240-244 - mars 2017 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
L’accès au texte intégral de cet article nécessite un abonnement.
Déjà abonné à cette revue ?
