Evaluation of the Multimodal Strategy for Improvement of Hand Hygiene as Proposed by the World Health Organization

• Published in: Journal of nursing care quality Vol. 32; no. 2; p. E11
• Main Authors: Pereira, Eliana B S, Jorge, Miguel T, Oliveira, Elias J, Júnior, Alberto Lopes Ribeiro, Santos, Lauro R L, Mendes-Rodrigues, Clesnan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.04.2017
• Subjects: Academic Medical Centers - standards; Academic Medical Centers - statistics & numerical data; Brazil; Guideline Adherence - standards; Guideline Adherence - statistics & numerical data; Hand Hygiene - standards; Hand Hygiene - statistics & numerical data; Health Personnel - standards; Health Personnel - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Infection Control - standards; Infection Control - statistics & numerical data; Surveys and Questionnaires; World Health Organization - organization & administration
• ISSN: 1550-5065
• DOI: 10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000197

Hand hygiene has the biggest impact and is the least expensive way to prevent and control health care-associated infections. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of the multimodal strategy of the World Health Organization to improve health care-associated infection rates, hand hygiene compliance, and the related knowledge of health care professionals in a Brazilian university hospital. We observed the necessity for an alternative approach in hospitals with high staff turnover and low attendance of educational sessions.