Power to the People

Abstract

This article demonstrates how the infection control team (ICT) in a large teaching hospital introduced a patient empowerment programme into their hand hygiene and clinical governance strategy.

The aim of the initiative was to increase compliance with hand hygiene. The objectives were to reduce hospital acquired infections (HAI), empower the patient in hand hygiene and make quality improvements.

The initiative was undertaken in the orthopaedic directorate over a period of eight weeks and involved all the multidisciplinary team. Soap and alcohol gel usage were monitored closely during the trial.

As a result of empowering the patient in hand hygiene, there was a significant increase in alcohol gel and soap usage (70% and 14% respectively). It also raised hand hygiene awareness both for patients and healthcare workers. Further studies are recommended to determine if HAI are to be reduced.

Keywords

Hand hygiene infection control patient empowerment

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Albert

Condie

(1981) Handwashing patterns in medical intensive care units. The New England Journal of Medicine 304(24): 1465–6.

Department of Health. (1998) A first-class service: quality in the new NHS. HMSO: London.

Department of Health. (2000) The NHS plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform. HMSO: London.

Desai

Philpott-Howard

Wade

Casewell

(2000) Infection control training: evaluation of a computer-assisted learning package. Journal of Hospital Infection 44: 193–9.

Emmerson

Enstone

Griffin

Kelsey

Smyth

ETM

(1996) The second national prevalence survey of infections in hospitals: overview of the results. Journal of Hospital Infection 32(3): 175–90.

Could

(1994) Nurses hand decontamination practice: results of a local study. Journal of Hospital Infection 28: 15–30.

Hand Hygiene Liaison Group. (1999) Handwashing: a modest measure with big effects. British Medical Journal 318: 686.

Hand Hygiene Liaison Group. (2001) Draft hand hygiene standards. Journal of Hospital Infection 49(2): 153.

Hirsch

(1999) Compliance with hand hygiene protocol by nurses in a Dutch hospital. Journal of Hospital Infection 43: 163–5.

10.

Larson

(1988). A causal link between handwashing and risk of infection. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology 9: 28–35.

11.

McGuckin

Waterman

Porten

Bello

Caruso

Juzaitis

Krug

Mazer

Ostrawski

(1999) Patient education model for increasing handwashing compliance. American Journal of Infection Control 27: 309–14.

12.

McGuckin

Waterman

Storr

Bowler

ICJW

Ashby

Topley

Porten

(2001) Evaluation of a patient-empowering hand hygiene programme in the UK. Journal of Hospital Infection 48: 222–7.

13.

Naikoba

Hayward

(2001) The effectiveness of interventions aimed at increasing handwashing in healthcare workers - a systematic review. Journal of Hospital Infection 47(3): 173–80.

14.

National Audit Office. (2000) The management and control of hospital-acquired infection in acute NHS Trusts in England. The Stationery Office: London.

15.

NHS Executive. (1999) Governance in the new NHS: controls assurance statements 1999/2000: risk management and organisational controls. NHS Executive Circular 1999/123. The Stationary Office: London.

16.

NHS Litigation Authority. (2002) Clinical risk management standards. Willis: London.

17.

Plowman

Graves

Griffin

Roberts

Swan

Cookson

Taylor

(1999) The socio-economic burden of hospital-acquired infection. Department of Health: London.

18.

Pittet

(2000) Effectiveness of a hospital-wide programme to improve compliance with hand hygiene. Lancet 356: 1307–12.

19.

Pittet

(2001) Compliance with hand disinfection and its impact on hospital-acquired infection. Journal of Hospital Infection 48(supplement A): s40–s46.

20.

Pratt

Pellowe

Loveday

Robinson

Smith

(2001) The epic project: developing national evidence-based guidelines for preventing healthcare associated infections. Journal of Hospital Infection 47(supplement): s21–s37.