Authors (including presenting author) :
KY Siu, KM Wu, SY Lau
Affiliation :
Department of Surgery, United Christian Hospital
Introduction :
Health care associated infection (HCAI) is a major problem for patient safety and its impact can result in increased patient’s mortality and morbidity and a massive additional financial burden for the health system. Hand hygiene is considered the single most important factor to reduce the risk of HCAI. Efforts have been made to promote hand hygiene among health care professionals at hospital level, encouraging partnerships between patients, their relatives or carer, and the health care workers definitely improves hand hygiene in health care settings. Therefore, an eye-catching hand hygiene trolley and various hand hygiene improvement measures have been conducted to promote hand hygiene for patients and visitors in a surgical ward.
Objectives :
I.To prevent hospital-acquired infection among patients
II.To improve the compliance of hand hygiene among patients and visitors III.To enhance the awareness and knowledge of hand hygiene among patients and visitors
Methodology :
1. An eye-catching hand hygiene trolley has been designed and placed at the entrance of the ward. 1.1 A few bottles of alcohol-based handrub are available on the trolley for easy access 1.2 A slogan「進出病房齊潔手 健康生活可擁有」has been designed to encourage visitors to perform hand hygiene 1.3 Educational leaflets on MRSA and hand hygiene published by the hospital and the Centre for Health Protection have been placed on the trolley for patients and visitors taking 1.4 A poster on Proper Hand Hygiene Technique with Alcohol-based Formulation and Clean Hands Before Eating and Taking Medicine have been placed at the trolley to increase the effectiveness of hand hygiene 2. Staff is designated, patient-care assistant or temporary undergraduate nursing student (TUNS), to remind or to facilitate each patient to perform hand hygiene before meal time 3. A bottle of alcohol-based handrub is available at every bedside for easy access for both patients and health care workers
Result & Outcome :
An informal interview has been conducted to both patients and visitors. All of them welcome the measures of performing hand hygiene before meal time; and it is observed that not only visitors, but also hospital staff, have used the handrub to perform hygiene when entering and leaving the ward. Moreover, there is no outbreak of HCAI after the implementation of the above interventions. Promoting hand hygiene among patients and visitors empowers them to gain greater control over actions that affect their health.
Co-location with:
