A joint, multilateral approach to improve compliance with hand hygiene in 4 countries within the Baltic region using the World Health Organization's SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands model.
The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to explore the usefulness of a modified World Health Organization (WHO) hand hygiene program to increase compliance with hand hygiene among health care workers (HCWs) in Latvia, Lithuania, Saint Petersburg (Russia), and Sweden and to provide a basis for continuing promotion of hand hygiene in these countries. The study was carried out in 2012. Thirteen hospitals participated, including 38 wards.



Outcome data were handrub consumption, compliance with hand hygiene measured with a modified WHO method, and assessment of knowledge among HCWs. Interventions were education of the nursing staff, posters and reminders in strategic places in the wards, and feedback of the results to nursing staff in ward meetings.



Feedback of results was an effective tool for education at the ward level. The most useful outcome measurement was handrub consumption, which increased by at least 50% in 30% of the wards. In spite of this, handrub consumption remained at a low level in many of the wards.



There are several reasons for this, and the most important were self-reported nursing staff shortage and fear of adverse effects from using alcoholic handrub and verified skin irritation.
Department of Medical Sciences, Clinical Bacteriology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: birgitta.lytsy@akademiska.se.
Birgitta
B
Lytsy
Eastern University Hospital, Riga, Latvia.
Agita
A
Melbarde-Kelmere
Department of Medical Sciences, Clinical Bacteriology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Anna
A
Hambraeus
Department of Epidemiology, Parasitology and Disinfectology, North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Anna
A
Liubimova
Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden.
Olov
O
Aspevall
D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D063373:Hand Hygiene / Q000379:methods*; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007844:Latvia; D008097:Lithuania; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012426:Russia; D013548:Sweden
Hand hygiene; WHO's Clean Your Hands; health care–associated infections; hygiene, infection control