Guest editorial: Hand hygiene - 'big brother is watching you'

Abstract

Editorials about hand hygiene are all starting to read the same and, unfortunately, despite my best efforts, this one will be no different. To recap, we know that improvements in hand hygiene in hospitals are associated with decreases in hospital-acquired infection rates, we know healthcare workers are poorly compliant with hand hygiene practices and we know some predisposing factors for non-compliance. What we don't know is how to change healthcare workers into people who wash their hands reliably and well and the way to maintain this change.