SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.24 issue4Lumbar biomechanical risk factors due to manual handling of loads in the distribution of meat productsRisk Factors for COVID-19 transmission among healthcare workers author indexsubject indexarticles search
Home Pagealphabetic serial listing  

Services on Demand

Journal

Article

Indicators

Related links

  • On index processCited by Google
  • Have no similar articlesSimilars in SciELO
  • On index processSimilars in Google

Share


Archivos de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales

On-line version ISSN 1578-2549

Abstract

ARRIBA-FERNANDEZ, Alejandro de; MOLINA-CABRILLANA, Jesús  and  SERRA-MAJEM, Lluís. Application of the self-evaluation questionnaire of the WHO multimodal strategy to improve the practice of hand hygiene in a tertiary hospital. Arch Prev Riesgos Labor [online]. 2021, vol.24, n.4, pp.355-369.  Epub Jan 17, 2022. ISSN 1578-2549.  https://dx.doi.org/10.12961/aprl.2021.24.04.03.

Objective.

Hand hygiene (HH) is the single most important and effective measure to reduce the risk of healthcare-related infections. However, low compliance with HH indications among healthcare professionals is often low. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of a multimodal strategy to promote HH among healthcare professionals.

Methods.

We used the “Application guide of the multimodal strategy of the World Health Organization for the improvement of hand hygiene”, which consists of: changes to the system, education and training, evaluation and feedback, workplace reminders, organizational safety climate and monitoring of compliance with HH. The strategy was designed as an intervention study to promote HH in the Maternal and Child Insular University Hospital Complex in the period 2012-2020.

Results.

Overall compliance with the HH indications at the end of the study period was 59.2%. The use of alcoholic-based products increased with respect to previous years (p <0.05), reaching 70 liters/1000 hospital admissions in the final year. Healthcare professionals perceived training and accessibility to an alcohol-based preparation at each point of care as the most effective measures for promoting good HH practice.

Conclusions.

The implementation of a multimodal intervention significantly improved compliance with handwashing and the use of alcohol-based products among healthcare professionals. Despite having previous training on hand hygiene, HH knowledge among professionals remains incomplete. Prior training followed by time worked are the most important determinants of knowledge and perceptions about hand hygiene.

Keywords : Handwashing; hand hygiene; adherence; healthcare-related infection; quality; patient safety.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )