Educating Healthcare Workers to Optimal Hand Hygiene Practices: Addressing the Need

Overview

Journal Infection

Date 2010 Sep 22

PMID 20857314

Citations 12

Authors

E Mathai

B Allegranzi

W H Seto

M-N Chraiti

H Sax

E Larson

D Pittet

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The education of healthcare workers is essential to improve practices and is an integral part of hand hygiene promotional strategies. According to the evidence reviewed here, healthcare worker education has a positive impact on improving hand hygiene and reducing healthcare-associated infection. Detailed practical guidance on steps for the organization of education programmes in healthcare facilities and teaching-learning strategies are provided using the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines for Hand Hygiene in Health Care as the basis for recommendations. Several key elements for a successful educational programme are also identified. A particular emphasis is placed on concepts included in the tools developed by WHO for education, monitoring and performance feedback.

Citing Articles

"I Know What I Have to Do, but I Don't Do It": The Relationship Between Knowledge and Adherence to Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings.

Silva J, Antunes C, Batista S, Braga J, Gomes A, Guedes R Healthcare (Basel). 2025; 13(5).

PMID: 40077092 PMC: 11899313. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare13050530.

A Multifaceted Approach to the "Bare below the Elbow" Concept and Hand Hygiene Compliance among Healthcare Professionals-Multicenter Population-Based Study.

Szumska E, Czajkowski P, Zablocki M, Rozkiewicz D Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(5).

PMID: 36901445 PMC: 10002297. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054435.

Evaluation of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Hand Hygiene Practices among Inpatients of Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences Bhubaneswar: A Preliminary Study.

Das P, Khuntia P, Das M, Bisoi D, Shekar N, Pujari P J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2022; 14(Suppl 1):S568-S572.

PMID: 36110703 PMC: 9469231. DOI: 10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_570_21.

Identifying interventions to improve hand hygiene compliance in the intensive care unit through co-design with stakeholders.

Lambe K, Lydon S, McSharry J, Byrne M, Squires J, Power M HRB Open Res. 2021; 4:64.

PMID: 34250439 PMC: 8243226. DOI: 10.12688/hrbopenres.13296.2.

Hand hygiene compliance and associated factors among health care providers in Central Gondar zone public primary hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia.

Engdaw G, Gebrehiwot M, Andualem Z Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. 2019; 8:190.

PMID: 31788237 PMC: 6880540. DOI: 10.1186/s13756-019-0634-z.

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