A multifaceted approach to improve hand hygiene practices in the adult intensive care unit of a tertiary-care center.
A multidisciplinary team was formed to improve hand hygiene (HH) practices in a tertiary-care ICU. At baseline, an audit revealed that the overall HH compliance was 64% and was significantly lower at night than during the day shift. After implementing a stepwise multifaceted approach that included education, workplace reminders, active feedback and later universal contact precautions, the HH compliance improved significantly to >80%, and the improvement was sustained over several months. This improvement was noted during the day and night and affected different healthcare workers as well as visitors.
Intensive Care Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia; College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: aldorzih@yahoo.com.
Hasan M
HM
Al-Dorzi
Adult ICU, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh, PO Box 22490, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: MatroudA@ngha.med.sa.
Amal
A
Matroud
Anesthesiology Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh, PO Box 22490, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: alattaskh@ngha.med.sa.
Khaled A
KA
Al Attas
Infection Prevention and Control Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh, PO Box 22490, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: AzzamA@ngha.med.sa.
Ahmad I
AI
Azzam
Respiratory Services Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh, PO Box 22490, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: MusnedA@ngha.med.sa.
Adel
A
Musned
Surgical Intensive Care Unit, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh, PO Box 22490, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: naidvb@ngha.med.sa.
Brintha
B
Naidu
Burn Unit, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh, PO Box 22490, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: GovenderT@ngha.med.sa.
Tamara
T
Govender
Intermediate Care Unit, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh, PO Box 22490, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: YeniB@ngha.med.sa.
Zandile
Z
Yeni
Neuro ICU, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh, PO Box 22490, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: Abarintosch@ngha.med.sa.
Chinette
C
Abarintos
Critical Care Services, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh, PO Box 22490, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: whited@ngha.med.sa.
David
D
White
Infection Control and Prevention Program, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh, PO Box 22490, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: BalkhyH@ngha.med.sa.
Hanan
H
Balkhy
Intensive Care Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia; College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: yaseenarabi@yahoo.com.
Yaseen M
YM
Arabi
D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D063373:Hand Hygiene / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
Critical care; Hand hygiene; Intensive care unit; Quality improvement