A quality improvement initiative for improving hospital visitor hand hygiene

Abstract

Hand hygiene is crucial for the prevention of hospital-acquired infections. Hand hygiene promotions generally target healthcare workers, with variable success, but hospital visitors have poor hand hygiene and are infrequently encouraged to improve it [ 1 McGuckin M. Waterman R. Govednik J. Hand hygiene compliance rates in the United States – a one-year multicenter collaboration using product/volume usage measurement and feedback. Am J Med Qual. 2009; 24: 205-213 Crossref PubMed Scopus (84) Google Scholar , 2 Randle J. Arthur A. Vaughan N. Twenty-four-hour observational study of hospital hand hygiene compliance. J Hosp Infect. 2010; 76: 252-255 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (101) Google Scholar , 3 Birnbach D.J. Nevo I. Barnes S. Fitzpatrick M. Rosen L.F. Everett-Thomas R. et al. Do hospital visitors wash their hands? Assessing the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer in a hospital lobby.. Am J Infect Control. 2012; 40: 340-343 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (45) Google Scholar , 4 Birnbach D.J. Rosen L.F. Fitzpatrick M. Arheart K.L. Munoz-Price L.S. An evaluation of hand hygiene in an intensive care unit: are visitors a potential vector for pathogens?. J Infect Public Health. 2015; 8: 570-574 Crossref PubMed Scopus (24) Google Scholar , 5 Hobbs M.A. Robinson S. Neyens D.M. Steed C. Visitor characteristics and alcohol-based hand sanitizer dispenser locations at the hospital entrance: effect on visitor use rates. Am J Infect Control. 2016; 44: 258-262 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (14) Google Scholar ]. Improving the hand hygiene of visitors thus offers an opportunity to reduce the transmission of pathogens between healthcare settings and the community. However, there are few data on effective strategies to promote visitor hand hygiene. Here we present a low-cost quality improvement initiative that improved visitor hand hygiene in our facility.