hand hygiene
By Paul Alper
A New Strategic Framework for Healthcare Organizations : Making Hand Hygiene Second Nature
Everyone who enters a healthcare facility , especially during this global pandemic , has the right to expect the highest standards for patient safety and quality . One of the most fundamental ways to achieve high levels of each is to create and value a culture in which hand hygiene is second nature for every staff member and volunteer .
Given that compliance rates , when measured accurately and reliably typically fall below 50 percent , a sound and evidence based strategic framework is essential , providing a check list of hand hygiene program elements that all work synergistically to ensure optimized hand hygiene behavior .
To that end , we have created a new
framework : “ The 6 essential elements of hand 6 essential hygiene .” See the accompanying graphic
elements of hand hygiene and feel free to reproduce for your infection prevention , epidemiology , patient safety and
quality leadership team to use as a guide when thinking about your organization ’ s strategic approach to hand hygiene .
The six essential elements are : Advanced products , reliable delivery systems , point of care access , effective learning systems , every moment and actionable feedback . Each is accompanied by guidelines for how to get each one right :
We think this will go a long way in helping healthcare organizations think about hand hygiene in a systematic way that contributes to highly reliable staff performance ( aka sustained increases in compliance ).
Paul Alper , BA , led the launch of PURELL ®, invented the first electronic hand hygiene monitoring system proven to reduce infections while improving behavior and eliminating costs and is now the vice president of patient safety innovation for Medline Industries , Inc . through an exclusive engagement with his consulting practice , Next Level Strategies , LLC .
Advanced Products
Reliable Delivery Systems
Point of Care Access
Effective Learning Systems
Every Moment
Actionable Feedback
Select a standardized product formulary that is supported by sound science and developed for high frequency hand hygiene :
• Alcohol-based hand sanitizers
• Soaps ( plain and / or antibacterial )
• Sanitizing wipes
Align placement of product dispensers with CMS , CDC , Joint Commission and WHO guidelines :
• Wall-mounted dispensers : manual and / or touch-free
• Touch-free dispensers on stands for entry and other visitor areas
• Personal carry size bottles
• Tabletop bottles
• Sanitizing wipes in packets and cannisters
Station hand hygiene products close to where hand hygiene moments occur :
• Outside and inside patient rooms
• Throughout the OR ( acute care or ASCs )
• Nurses stations
• Treatment rooms
• Food service and prep areas
• Entry ways and lobbies
Provide targeted education and training tools ( based on behavioral science , human factors and high reliability organizational design ) to make hand hygiene best practices ( proper technique at every moment ) second nature for all :
• Organizational Leadership
• Staff and volunteers
• Patients , families and visitors
Support consistent hand hygiene behavior at each moment ( indication ) for hand hygiene :
• Before and after touching the patient or their surroundings
• Before and after patient care tasks
• Before and after personal activities such as eating , handling a phone or device , and using the restroom
Implement best practices for collecting and analyzing data and understand how to pinpoint where improvement is needed :
• Reliable performance measurement methods and actionable feedback tools
• Top-down accountability framework with a unit-based approach for goal setting , barrier removal and action planning
• Easy-to-implement check list approach