Hand hygiene compliance: exploring variations in practice between hospitals

This observational study examined differences in hand hygiene practice between four acute hospitals

Creedon, Sile A. MSc, BNS, DipIT (teachers), DipHP, RNT, RGN, RM, CC

Sile A. Creedon, MSc, BNS, DipIT (teachers), DipHP, RNT, RGN, RM, CC, is lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Ireland. For a full list of authors see nursingtimes.net.

For more clinical information log on to nursingtimes.net and NT Clinical and Archive

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN DOUBLE-BLIND PEER-REVIEWED

Nursing Times 104(49):p 32-35, December 9, 2008.

ABSTRACT

Creedon, S.A. et al (2008) Hand hygiene compliance: exploring variations in practice between hospitals. Nursing Times; 104: 49, 32-35.

Background:

The issue of ‘centre’ or ‘hospital’ as an independent variable has not been studied extensively in healthcare workers' hand-hygiene practices.

Aim:

To investigate healthcare workers' compliance with hand-hygiene guidelines in four acute-care hospitals in Ireland and to examine factors that contributed to non-compliance.

Method:

Data collectors observed healthcare workers in four hospitals.

Results:

Data (n=1,737 observations) was drawn from a random sample of nurses, doctors, physiotherapists and HCAs (n=280 staff). Findings revealed that the individual hospital has a significant impact. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed healthcare workers in centre 4 had a significantly higher likelihood of non-compliance than those in all other centres (p=0.003), irrespective of gender, discipline or area of work.

Conclusion:

The findings make an important contribution to the study of healthcare workers' hand-hygiene behaviour and control of healthcare-associated infections. A possible explanation of the results may be related to variations in organisational support and hospital culture.