title: Evaluation of a hand hygiene campaign in outpatient health care clinics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To improve hand hygiene in two outpatient health care clinics through the introduction of a gel sanitizer and an informational poster.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this interventional study, health care workers at two outpatient clinics were observed for frequency of hand hygiene (attempts versus opportunities). Gel sanitizer and informational posters were introduced together as an intervention. Direct observation of the frequency of hand hygiene was performed during baseline, intervention, and follow-up. A poststudy survey of health care workers was also distributed and collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both clinics, the frequency of hand hygiene was poor at baseline (11% and 21%) but improved significantly after intervention (36% and 54%) and was maintained through the follow-up period (32% and 51%). Throughout the study, postcontact hand hygiene was observed significantly more often than precontact hand hygiene. In both clinics, health care workers reported a preference for soap and water; yet observations showed that when the intervention made gel sanitizer available, sanitizer use predominated. Fifty percent of the surveyed health care workers considered the introduction of gel sanitizer to be an effective motivating tool for improving hand hygiene.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hand hygiene performance by health care workers in outpatient clinics may be improved through promoting the use of gel sanitizer and using informational posters. Compared with surveys, direct observation by trained observers may provide more accurate information about worker preferences for hand hygiene tools.
authors: Department of Clinical Sciences at Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA. kstenske@ksu.edu
authors: Kate Stenske
authors: KS
authors: Kukanich
authors: Ramandeep
authors: R
authors: Kaur
authors: Lisa C
authors: LC
authors: Freeman
authors: Douglas A
authors: DA
authors: Powell
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009726:Nurses; D010820:Physicians; D057175:Posters as Topic; D014481:United States