Gap between self-evaluation and actual hand hygiene compliance among health-care workers

• Published in: Journal of Infection Prevention Vol. 23; no. 5; pp. 239 - 242
• Main Authors: Hagiya, Hideharu, Takase, Ryosuke, Sazumi, Yosuke, Nishimura, Yoshito, Honda, Hiroyuki, Otsuka, Fumio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.09.2022
• Subjects: Short Reports; Direct observation; hand hygiene; infection control; prevention
• ISSN: 1757-1774; 1757-1782
• DOI: 10.1177/17571774221094160

Hand hygiene (HH) compliance among health-care workers has not satisfactorily improved despite multiple educative approaches. Between October 2019 and February 2020, we performed a self-evaluation test and a direct observation for the compliance of the 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene program advocated by the World Health Organization at two Japanese hospitals. Average percentages of self-evaluated HH compliance were as follows: (i) 76.9% for “Before touching a patient,” (ii) 85.8% for “Before clean/aseptic procedures,” (iii) 95.9% for “After body fluid exposure/risk,” (iv) 84.0% for “After touching a patient,” and (v) 69.2% for “After touching patient surroundings.” On the other hand, actual HH compliance was 11.7% for “Before touching a patient” and 18.0% for “After touching a patient or patient surroundings.” The present study demonstrated a big gap between self-evaluation and actual HH compliance among nurses working at hospitals, indicating the need of further providing the education in infection prevention.