Does training improve compliance with hand hygiene and decrease infections in the neonatal intensive care unit? A prospective study.
BACKGROUND
The most important tool in any infection control program is good hand hygiene. Despite recognizing that hand hygiene is crucial in reducing infection rates, hand hygiene compliance remains suboptimal. This study was designed to determine hand hygiene compliance, before and after an educational intervention and its impact on hospital infection rates.


METHODS
The study was done in neonatal intensive care unit of an educational hospital. All healthcare providers working in the unit at the time of study were trained on importance of hand hygiene and methods of hand hygiene observation; after that hand washing compliance controlled by a physician during postintervention phase. Hand hygiene compliance, healthcare associated infection and mortality rates compared before and after educational intervention.


RESULTS
Compliance of health-care workers for all hand hygiene opportunities combined was 30% before intervention and improved to 70% in postintervention. In postintervention phase, healthcare associated infection rates and mortality rates decreased significantly as the hand hygiene compliance improved.


CONCLUSIONS
Good control of hand hygiene compliance by physician after an educational program may have good effect in healthcare associated infections control in neonatal intensive care unit.
Department of Pediatrics-Neonatal, Perinatal Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
P
P
Sadeghi-Moghaddam
Department of Pediatric Diseases, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
M
M
Arjmandnia
Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
M
M
Shokrollahi
Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
M
M
Aghaali
D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000379:methods; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008297:Male; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000193:education*; D011446:Prospective Studies
Cross infection; education; hand hygiene; infection control; newborn