This week, you will propose a hand hygiene program for a teaching hospital.
Think about the role of hand hygiene in the healthcare setting. Proper hand washing is the safest and easiest thing to do to prevent the spread of infections; however, true hand hygiene rates in most hospitals are extremely low.
- You are the assistant to the CEO of a large academic teaching hospital. Describe in detail 2-3 measures you will take to improve hand hygiene practices among the staff and minimize outbreaks in your facility? Be creative!
- Use Appendix A, the Hand Hygiene guidelines, and other sources to support your claims and proposed actions.
Your proposal must be 2–3 pages in length. Include evidence or information from at least three credible external sources and follow APA style for formatting and citation.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Hand hygiene is a critical aspect of infection prevention and control in healthcare settings. However, the rates of proper hand hygiene practices among healthcare workers are often suboptimal. As an assistant to the CEO of a large academic teaching hospital, we must take urgent measures to improve hand hygiene practices among the staff and minimize outbreaks in the facility. This proposal outlines two to three creative measures to achieve this aim.
Measures to Improve Hand Hygiene Practices in a Teaching Hospital:
1. Implement a Hand Hygiene Compliance Monitoring Program: The healthcare facility will deploy a hand hygiene compliance monitoring program to observe and track healthcare worker behavior towards hand hygiene practices. The monitoring program employs automated direct observation with continuous feedback to promote ongoing improvement. Healthcare workers who perform hand hygiene in compliance with defined protocols will receive a positive response, and those who do not will receive constructive feedback and education. This measure leverages the WHO tool for hand hygiene observation and monitoring protocol to ensure consistent monitoring methodologies with a consistent set of criteria.
2. Increase Awareness through Education and Training: Ignorance and neglect, in many cases, contribute to suboptimal hand hygiene rates among healthcare workers. Therefore, the hospital will facilitate a proper awareness drive to remind employees of the importance of hand hygiene. The awareness program will be conducted regularly using various educational formats such as hands-on training and e-learning, and it will be mandatory for all staff members. The hospital will leverage the CDC’s Hand Hygiene Guideline Compliance education module to promote a shared understanding of hand hygiene principles amongst healthcare workers.
3. Provide Optimized Hand Hygiene Facilities: Providing an optimized environment can significantly enhance the hand hygiene practices of healthcare workers. The hospital will invest in automatic or touchless hand sanitizer and soap dispensers in high traffic areas to encourage compliance. Healthcare workers who are always on-the-go, such as doctors, nurses, nurses’ aides, and others, can utilize portable, on-the-go hand sanitizers that are stationed within quick reach. The hospital will promote easy and convenient access to alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) dispensers following the CDC checklist for optimizing healthcare facility hand hygiene practices to ensure compliance.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, hand hygiene is critical in preventing the spread of infections in healthcare settings, and these two to three measures will improve hand hygiene rates in the hospital. The hospital must deploy a compliance monitoring program, increase awareness through education and training, and provide optimized hand hygiene facilities to increase compliance rates among healthcare workers. By leveraging resources such as the CDC’s Guideline for Hand Hygiene in healthcare settings and the WHO tool for hand hygiene observation and monitoring protocol, the hospital can curtail the spread of infections, ensure patient safety, and improve outcomes.
