Relationship between healthcare worker surface contacts, care type and hand hygiene: an observational study in a single-bed hospital ward

M-F King; C J Noakes; P A Sleigh; S Bale; L Waters

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2016.05.003

Relationship between healthcare worker surface contacts, care type and hand hygiene: an observational study in a single-bed hospital ward

J Hosp Infect. 2016 Sep;94(1):48-51. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2016.05.003. Epub 2016 May 13.

Authors

M-F King¹, C J Noakes², P A Sleigh², S Bale³, L Waters³

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Public Health and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. Electronic address: m.f.king@leeds.ac.uk.
² Institute for Public Health and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
³ Research & Development Department, The Friars, Newport, UK.

PMID: 27392977
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2016.05.003

Abstract

This study quantifies the relationship between hand hygiene and the frequency with which healthcare workers (HCWs) touch surfaces in patient rooms. Surface contacts and hand hygiene were recorded in a single-bed UK hospital ward for six care types. Surface contacts often formed non-random patterns, but hygiene before or after patient contact depends significantly on care type (P=0.001). The likelihood of hygiene correlated with the number of surface contacts (95% confidence interval 1.1-5.8, P=0.002), but not with time spent in the room. This highlights that a potential subconscious need for hand hygiene may have developed in HCWs, which may support and help focus future hygiene education programmes.

Keywords: Hand hygiene; Hospital-acquired infection; Surface contacts.

Publication types

Observational Study

MeSH terms

Attitude of Health Personnel*
Cross Infection / prevention & control*
Disease Transmission, Infectious / prevention & control*
Hand Hygiene / methods*
Humans
Infection Control / methods*
Patients' Rooms
Touch*
United Kingdom