Implementation of directly observed patient hand hygiene for hospitalized patients by hand hygiene ambassadors in Hong Kong

Vincent C.C. Cheng; Josepha W.M. Tai; W. S. Li; P. H. Chau; Simon Y.C. So; Lisa M.W. Wong; Radley H.C. Ching; Modissa M.L. Ng; Sara K.Y. Ho; Doris W.Y. Lee; W. M. Lee; Sally C.Y. Wong; K. Y. Yuen

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2015.11.024

Implementation of directly observed patient hand hygiene for hospitalized patients by hand hygiene ambassadors in Hong Kong

Vincent C.C. Cheng, Josepha W.M. Tai, W. S. Li, P. H. Chau, Simon Y.C. So, Lisa M.W. Wong, Radley H.C. Ching, Modissa M.L. Ng, Sara K.Y. Ho, Doris W.Y. Lee, W. M. Lee, Sally C.Y. Wong, K. Y. Yuen

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

34 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background The importance of compliance with hand hygiene by patients is increasingly recognized to prevent health care-associated infections. Methods This descriptive study observed the effects of an education campaign, targeted to increase patients' self-initiated hand hygiene, and a hand hygiene ambassador-initiated directly observed hand hygiene program on patients' hand hygiene compliance in a university-affiliated hospital. Results The overall audited compliance of patients' self-initiated hand hygiene was only 37.5%, with a rate of 26.9% (112/416 episodes) before meals and medications, 27.5% (19/69 episodes) after using a urinal or bedpan, and 89.7% (87/97 episodes) after attending toilet facilities. Patients referred from a residential care home for older adults had significantly lower hand hygiene compliance (P =.007). Comparatively, the overall audited compliance of ambassador-initiated directly observed hand hygiene was 97.3% (428/440 episodes), which was significantly higher than patients' self-initiated hand hygiene via a patient education program (37.5%, 218/582 episodes, P <.001). Conclusions Directly observed hand hygiene can play an important role in improving compliance with hand hygiene by hospitalized patients.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	621-624
Number of pages	4
Journal	American Journal of Infection Control
Volume	44
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2015.11.024
Publication status	Published - Jun 1 2016
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Epidemiology
Health Policy
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Infectious Diseases

Keywords

directly observed
hand hygiene ambassador
Patient hand hygiene

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10.1016/j.ajic.2015.11.024

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Cheng, V. C. C., Tai, J. W. M., Li, W. S., Chau, P. H., So, S. Y. C., Wong, L. M. W., Ching, R. H. C., Ng, M. M. L., Ho, S. K. Y., Lee, D. W. Y., Lee, W. M., Wong, S. C. Y., & Yuen, K. Y. (2016). Implementation of directly observed patient hand hygiene for hospitalized patients by hand hygiene ambassadors in Hong Kong. American Journal of Infection Control, 44(6), 621-624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2015.11.024

Cheng, VCC, Tai, JWM, Li, WS, Chau, PH, So, SYC, Wong, LMW, Ching, RHC, Ng, MML, Ho, SKY, Lee, DWY, Lee, WM, Wong, SCY & Yuen, KY 2016, 'Implementation of directly observed patient hand hygiene for hospitalized patients by hand hygiene ambassadors in Hong Kong', American Journal of Infection Control, vol. 44, no. 6, pp. 621-624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2015.11.024

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abstract = "Background The importance of compliance with hand hygiene by patients is increasingly recognized to prevent health care-associated infections. Methods This descriptive study observed the effects of an education campaign, targeted to increase patients' self-initiated hand hygiene, and a hand hygiene ambassador-initiated directly observed hand hygiene program on patients' hand hygiene compliance in a university-affiliated hospital. Results The overall audited compliance of patients' self-initiated hand hygiene was only 37.5%, with a rate of 26.9% (112/416 episodes) before meals and medications, 27.5% (19/69 episodes) after using a urinal or bedpan, and 89.7% (87/97 episodes) after attending toilet facilities. Patients referred from a residential care home for older adults had significantly lower hand hygiene compliance (P =.007). Comparatively, the overall audited compliance of ambassador-initiated directly observed hand hygiene was 97.3% (428/440 episodes), which was significantly higher than patients' self-initiated hand hygiene via a patient education program (37.5%, 218/582 episodes, P <.001). Conclusions Directly observed hand hygiene can play an important role in improving compliance with hand hygiene by hospitalized patients.",

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AU - Lee, Doris W.Y.

AU - Lee, W. M.

AU - Wong, Sally C.Y.

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AB - Background The importance of compliance with hand hygiene by patients is increasingly recognized to prevent health care-associated infections. Methods This descriptive study observed the effects of an education campaign, targeted to increase patients' self-initiated hand hygiene, and a hand hygiene ambassador-initiated directly observed hand hygiene program on patients' hand hygiene compliance in a university-affiliated hospital. Results The overall audited compliance of patients' self-initiated hand hygiene was only 37.5%, with a rate of 26.9% (112/416 episodes) before meals and medications, 27.5% (19/69 episodes) after using a urinal or bedpan, and 89.7% (87/97 episodes) after attending toilet facilities. Patients referred from a residential care home for older adults had significantly lower hand hygiene compliance (P =.007). Comparatively, the overall audited compliance of ambassador-initiated directly observed hand hygiene was 97.3% (428/440 episodes), which was significantly higher than patients' self-initiated hand hygiene via a patient education program (37.5%, 218/582 episodes, P <.001). Conclusions Directly observed hand hygiene can play an important role in improving compliance with hand hygiene by hospitalized patients.

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Implementation of directly observed patient hand hygiene for hospitalized patients by hand hygiene ambassadors in Hong Kong

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Keywords

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