Teaching hospital medical staff to handwash.
OBJECTIVE
To increase the frequency of handwashing by medical staff.


METHODS
a prospective study of handwashing before and after patient contact.


METHODS
A paediatric intensive care unit in a tertiary hospital.


METHODS
61 intensive care unit medical staff and visiting medical staff.


METHODS
A five-phase behaviour modification program:(i) unobtrusive observation for four weeks to obtain a baseline handwashing rate (ii) overt observation for five weeks (preceded by written advice); (iii) overt observation continued for four weeks with performance feedback; (iv) all observation and feedback discontinued for seven weeks; and (v) unobtrusive observation for five weeks to obtain a residual rate.


RESULTS
939 patient contacts were observed. The baseline handwashing rates before and after patient contact were 12.4% and 10.6%, respectively. During overt observation, the respective rates increased and plateaued at 32.7% and 33.3%, but increased further (to 68.3% and 64.8%) during the period of performance feedback. The residual handwashing rates, observed unobtrusively seven weeks after the cessation of performance feedback, were 54.6% before and 54.9% after patient contact.
Tibballs
J
J
Intensive Care Unit, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003422:Critical Care; D005246:Feedback; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods