[Hand hygiene: experience in two Spanish autonomous regions].
OBJECTIVE
The Spanish Ministry of Health in accordance with WHO guidelines, promotes hand washing in hospitals, with the objective of reinforcing the commitment of health care workers to hand washing. In this study we described the results of the actions implemented in two communities, which were aimed at increasing hand-washing compliance among health care workers by means of a multimodal improvement programme.


METHODS



METHODS
Cantabrian and Murcian health services. The project was carried out in three phases. Phase I: analysis of preimplantation situation by means of an observational study in open care units, and a cross study of self-perceived compliance to hand hygiene with a questionnaire. Phase II: Implementing of training plan and promoting the use of alcohol-based solutions. Phase III: Reassessment of the results achieved by means of a post- intervention observational study.


RESULTS
There has been a significant increase in frequency of hand washing adherence in both communities. 40.5% 95% CI [38.2-42.4] vs. 46.2% 95% CI [44.0-48.4] (p < .001) in Cantabria, and 43% vs. 54% in Murcia.


CONCLUSIONS
The need to implement recommendations must continue to be emphasized and new interventions developed to increase health workers compliance, as well as promote educational policies and ease of access to alcohol-based solutions.
Dierssen-Sotos
T
T
Subdirección de Desarrollo y Calidad Asistencial, Servicio Cántabro de Salud, Consejería de Sanidad de Cantabria, Cantabria, España.
Robles-García
M
M
Valbuena-Moya
S
S
D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000592:standards*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D013030:Spain