Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T19:10:28.980Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Inverse Correlation Between Level of Professional Education and Rate of Handwashing Compliance in a Teaching Hospital

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Joan M. Duggan ,
Sandra Hensley ,
Sadik Khuder ,
Thomas J. Papadimos  and
Lloyd Jacobs
Joan M. Duggan*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, University of Toledo Health Sciences Campus, Toledo, Ohio Department of Anesthesiology, University of Toledo Health Sciences Campus, Toledo, Ohio
Sandra Hensley
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, University of Toledo Health Sciences Campus, Toledo, Ohio
Sadik Khuder
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, University of Toledo Health Sciences Campus, Toledo, Ohio
Thomas J. Papadimos
Affiliation:
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Toledo Health Sciences Campus, Toledo, Ohio
Lloyd Jacobs
Affiliation:
University of Toledo, University of Toledo Health Sciences Campus, Toledo, Ohio
*
3120 Glendale Ave. Toledo, OH 43614 ([email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective.

To evaluate educational level as a contributing factor in handwashing compliance.

Design.

Observation of hand washing opportunities was performed for approximately 12 weeks before an announced Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) visit and for approximately 10 weeks after the visit. Trained observers recorded the date, time, and location of the observation; the type of healthcare worker or hospital employee observed; and the type of hand hygiene opportunity observed.

Setting.

University of Toledo Medical Center, a 319-bed teaching hospital.

Results.

A total of 2,373 observations were performed. The rate of hand washing compliance among nurses was 91.3% overall. Medical attending physicians had the lowest observed rate of compliance (72.4%; P < .001). Nurses showed statistically significant improvement in their rate of hand hygiene compliance after the JCAHO visit (P = .001), but no improvement was seen for attending physicians (P = .117). The compliance rate in the surgical intensive care unit was more than 90%, greater than that in other hospital units (P = .001). Statistically, the compliance rate was better during the first part of the week (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) than during the latter part of the week (Thursday and Friday) (P = .002), and the compliance rate was better during the 3 PM-1 1 PM shift, compared with the 7 AM-3 PM shift (P < .001). When evaluated by logistic regression analysis, non-physician healthcare worker status and observation after the JCAHO accreditation visit were associated with an increased rate of hand hygiene compliance.

Conclusion.

An inverse correlation existed between the level of professional educational and the rate of compliance. Future research initiatives may need to address the different motivating factors for hand hygiene among nurses and physicians to increase compliance.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 29 , Issue 6 , June 2008 , pp. 534 - 538
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Larson, E, Mayur, K, Laughon, BA. Influence of two hand-washing frequencies on reduction in colonizing flora with three hand-washing products used by health care personnel. Am J Infect Control 1989;17:83–88.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Boyce, JM, Pittet, D. Guidelines for hand hygiene in health-care settings. Recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America/Association for Professionals in Infection Control/Infectious Diseases Society of America. MMWR Morb Mortal Weekly Rep 2002;51(RR-16):1–45.Google Scholar
3.Simmons, B, Bryant, J, Neiman, K, Spencer, L, Arheart, K. The role of handwashing in prevention of endemic intensive care unit infections. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1990;11:589–594.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Salemi, C, Canola, MT, Eck, EK. Hand washing and physicians: how to get them together. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2002;23:32–35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Pittet, D, Mourouga, P, Perneger, TV, et al. Compliance with handwashing in a teaching hospital. Ann Intern Med 1999;130:126–130.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Dubbert, P, Dolce, J, Richter, W, Miller, M, Chapman, S. Increasing ICU staff handwashing: effects of education and group feedback. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1990;11:191–193.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Bischoff, WE, Reynolds, TM, Sessler, CN, Edmond, MB, Wenzel, RP. Handwashing compliance by health care workers. Arch Intern Med 2000;160:1017–1021.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Farr, BM. Reasons for noncompliance with infection control guidelines. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2000;21:411–416.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Lipsett, PA, Swoboda, SM. Handwashing compliance depends on professional status. Surg Infect (Larchmnt) 2001;2:241–245.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Pittet, D, Simon, A, Hugonnet, S, et al. Hand hygiene among physicians: performance, beliefs, and perceptions. Ann Intern Med 2004;141:1–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Larson, E, Killien, M. Factors influencing handwashing behavior of patient care personnel. Am J Infect Control 1982;10:93–99.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Murthy, R, Denny, R, Harold, JG, Silka, P. Achieving sustained hand hygiene compliance by physicians. In: Program and abstracts of the 45th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (San Diego). Abstract 566.Google Scholar
13.Baldamus, W, Behrend, H. Variations in absenteeism during the week: an index of employee morale. Nature 1950;165:831–832.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Vahtera, J, Kivimaki, M, Pentti, J. The role of extended weekends in sickness absenteeism. Occup Environ Med 2001;58:811–822.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.Larson, EL, Early, E, Cloonan, P, Sugrue, S, Parides, M. An organizational climate intervention associated with increased hand washing and decreased nosocomial infections. Behavioral Med 2000;26:14–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed