title: Educating healthcare workers to optimal hand hygiene practices: addressing the need.
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.
authors.affiliation: First Global Patient Safety Challenge, World Health Organization Patient Safety, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mathai
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Allegranzi
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Seto
authors.forename: M-N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Chraïti
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sax
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pittet
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene / Q000193:education*; D014944:World Health Organization