Increasing hand hygiene compliance to reduce infection rates: is valid comparison of compliance methods possible? A literature review

Lesley Bastian; Kay Edgecombe; Margaret Bowden

doi:10.1071/HI08015

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Previous Next Contents Vol 13(2)

Increasing hand hygiene compliance to reduce infection rates: is valid comparison of compliance methods possible? A literature review

Lesley Bastian ^A ^C , Kay Edgecombe ^A and Margaret Bowden ^B

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, SA, Australia.

^B School of Social Work, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, SA, Australia.

^C Corresponding author. Email: lesley_bastian@hotmail.com

Healthcare Infection 13(2) 38-47 https://doi.org/10.1071/HI08015
Published: 18 June 2008

Abstract

The link between increased hand hygiene (HH) compliance and decreasing rates of infection cannot be ignored. Today, the increased acuity and invasiveness of many therapeutic interventions require greater HH compliance. Infection control personnel are challenged to find the best strategies to achieve this. This literature review, limited to studies between 2000 and 2007 using quasi- or pre-experimental research design, aimed to determine recent strategies for increased HH compliance in hospital settings. Multimodal strategies appeared most effective, but there was a lack of constant comparative research processes and discussion about how to facilitate behavioural change for sustainable increases. Innovative, comparable research, including justification of interventions as a reflection of adult learning principles, is needed to gauge the effectiveness of HH compliance strategies.

References

[1] Boyce J, Pittet D, Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee; HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. Guideline for hand hygiene in health-care settings: recommendations of the healthcare infection control practices advisory committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA hand hygiene task force. Society for healthcare epidemiology of America/association for professionals in infection control/infectious diseases society of America. MMWR Recomm Rep 2002; 51 1–45.
[verified May 2008].

[5] Polit D , Beck C . Essentials of nursing research: methods, appraisal, and utilisation (6th edn). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2006.

[6] Taylor B , Kermode S , Roberts K . Research in nursing and health care: evidence for practice (3rd edn). Melbourne: Thomson; 2007.

[7] Lankford MG, Zembower TR, Trick WE, Hacek DM, Noskin GA, Peterson LR. Influence of role models and hospital design on hand hygiene of healthcare workers. Emerg Infect Dis 2003; 9 217–23.

[8] Creedon SA. Healthcare workers’ hand decontamination practices: compliance with recommended guidelines. J Adv Nurs 2005; 51 208–16.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[9] McGuckin M, Shubin A, McBride P, Lane S, Strauss K, Butler D, et al. The effect of random voice hand hygiene messages delivered by medical, nursing, and infection control staff on hand hygiene compliance in intensive care. Am J Infect Control 2006; 34 673–5.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[10] Rosenthal VD, McCormick RD, Guzman S, Villamayor C, Orellano PW. Effect of education and performance feedback on handwashing: the benefit of administrative support in Argentinean hospitals. Am J Infect Control 2003; 31 85–92.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[11] Bischoff WE, Reynolds TM, Sessler CN, Edmond MB, Wenzel RP. Handwashing compliance by health care workers: the impact of introducing an accessible, alcohol-based hand antiseptic. Arch Intern Med 2000; 160 1017–21.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[12] Trick WE, Vernon MO, Welbel SF, Demarais P, Hayden MK, Weinstein RA, Chicago Antimicrobial Resistance Project Multicenter intervention program to increase adherence to hand hygiene recommendations and glove use and to reduce the incidence of antimicrobial resistance. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2007; 28 42–9.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[R13] Eldridge, NE, Woods, SS, Bonello, RS, Clutter, K, Ellingson, L and Harris, MA (2006) Multicenter intervention program to increase adherence to hand hygiene recommendations and glove use and to reduce the incidence of antimicrobial resistance. J Gen Intern Med 21, S35–42.

[14] Pessoa-Silva CL, Hugonnet S, Pfister R, Touveneau S, Dharan S, Posfay-Barbe K, et al. Reduction of health care associated infection risk in neonates by successful hand hygiene promotion. Pediatrics 2007; 120 382–90.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[15] Larson EL, Early E, Cloonan P, Sugrue S, Parides M. An organizational climate intervention associated with increased handwashing and decreased nosocomial infections. Behav Med 2000; 26 14–22.

[16] Brown SM, Lubimova AV, Khrustalyeva NM, Shulaeva SV, Tekhova I, Zueva LP, et al. Use of an alcohol-based hand rub and quality improvement interventions to improve hand hygiene in a Russian neonatal intensive care unit. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2003; 24 172–9.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[17] Whitby M, McLaws M. Handwashing in healthcare workers: accessibility of sink location does not improve compliance. J Hosp Infect 2004; 58 247–53.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[18] Lam BCC, Lee J, Lau YL. Hand hygiene practices in a neonatal intensive care unit: a multimodal intervention and impact on nosocomial infection. Pediatrics 2004; 114 e565–71.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[19] Andresen L , Boud D , Cohen R . Experience-based learning. In: Foley G (ed.) Understanding adult education and training (2nd edn). Sydney: Allen and Unwin; 2000: pp. 225–39.

[20] Johnson PDR, Martin R, Burrell LJ, Grabsch EA, Kirsa SW, O’Keeffe J, et al. Efficacy of an alcohol/chlorhexidine hand hygiene program in a hospital with high rates of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. Med J Aust 2005; 183 509–14.

[21] das Neves ZCP, Tipple AFV, Silva de Souza AC, Pereira MS, Melo DDS, Ferreira LR. Hand hygiene: the impact of incentive strategies on adherence among healthcare workers from a newborn intensive care unit. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem 2006; 14 546–52.

[22] McGuckin M, Taylor A, Martin V, Porten L, Salcido R. Evaluation of a patient education model for increasing hand hygiene compliance in an inpatient rehabilitation unit. Am J Infect Control 2004; 32 235–8.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[23] McGuckin M, Waterman R, Storr IJ, Bowler IC, Ashby M, Topley K, et al. Evaluation of a patient-empowering hand hygiene programme in the UK. J Hosp Infect 2001; 48 222–7.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[24] Pittet D. The Lowbury lecture: behaviour in infection control. J Hosp Infect 2004; 58 1–13.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

[25] Tight M . Key concepts in adult education and training (2nd edn). London: Routledge Falmer; 2002.

[26] Brundage DH . Adult learning principles and their application to program planning. Toronto: Minister of Education Ontario; 1980.

[27] Rosenthal VD, Guzman S, Safdar N. Reduction in nosocomial infection with improved hand hygiene in intensive care units of a tertiary care hospital in Argentina. Am J Infect Control 2005; 33 392–7.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |