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Tip of the week: A way to measure hand hygiene compliance

Infection Control Weekly Monitor, October 1, 2008

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The biggest challenge in preventing healthcare-associated infections is measuring compliance with prevention practices, such as hand hygiene, according to 35% of respondents in the APIC survey mentioned above.

One way to know how well your staff members are complying with hand hygiene recommendations is to track product use. The Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) has seen a 35% improvement in hand hygiene compliance by asking its member hospitals to track hand sanitizer and soap use by counting discarded bottles, says Carol Wagner, RN, MBA, vice president of patient safety for the Seattle-based association.

To participate in the program, a hospital must count the amount of soaps and hand sanitizers it uses at the facility. Then it must measure the number of discarded bottles against the patient census to give an accurate picture of use. Facilities must track all bottles, from soaps housed in wall dispensers to the small bottles of hand sanitizer carried by nurses in their pockets. For more information, click here.

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