title: Measurement of patient hand hygiene in multiorgan transplant units using a novel technology: an observational study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Healthcare worker hand hygiene is known to prevent healthcare-associated infections, but there are few data on patient hand hygiene despite the fact that nosocomial pathogens may be acquired by patients via their own unclean hands. The purpose of this study was to measure patient hand hygiene behavior in the hospital after visiting a bathroom, before eating, and on entering and leaving their rooms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute care teaching hospital in Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample of 279 adult patients admitted to 3 multiorgan transplant units between July 2012 and March 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient use of alcohol-based hand rub and soap dispensers was measured using an ultrasound-based real-time location system during visits to bathrooms, mealtimes, kitchen visits, and on entering and leaving their rooms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, patients performed hand hygiene during 29.7% of bathroom visits, 39.1% of mealtimes, 3.3% of kitchen visits, 2.9% of room entries, and 6.7% of room exits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients appear to perform hand hygiene infrequently, which may contribute to transmission of pathogens from the hospital environment via indirect contact or fecal-oral routes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jocelyn A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Srigley
authors.forename: Colin D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Furness
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gardam
mesh_terms: D003199:Computer Systems; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D063373:Hand Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D064548:Hand Sanitizers; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D062407:Meals; D008875:Middle Aged; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D012737:Sex Factors; D012915:Soaps; D014038:Toilet Facilities
chemical_list: D064548:Hand Sanitizers; D012915:Soaps