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Handwashing Program for the Prevention of Nosocomial Infections in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Sau-Pin Won ,
Hung-Chieh Chou ,
Wu-Shiun Hsieh ,
Chien-Yi Chen ,
Shio-Min Huang ,
Kuo-Inn Tsou  and
Po-Nien Tsao
Sau-Pin Won
Affiliation:
Departments of Pediatrics and Nursing, National Taiwan University Hospital, and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
Hung-Chieh Chou
Affiliation:
Departments of Pediatrics and Nursing, National Taiwan University Hospital, and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
Wu-Shiun Hsieh
Affiliation:
Departments of Pediatrics and Nursing, National Taiwan University Hospital, and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
Chien-Yi Chen
Affiliation:
Departments of Pediatrics and Nursing, National Taiwan University Hospital, and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
Shio-Min Huang
Affiliation:
Departments of Pediatrics and Nursing, National Taiwan University Hospital, and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
Kuo-Inn Tsou
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Cardinal Tien Hospital andFu-Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan
Po-Nien Tsao*
Affiliation:
Departments of Pediatrics and Nursing, National Taiwan University Hospital, and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
*
Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
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Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate the effects of a hand hygiene program on compliance with hand hygiene and the rate of nosocomial infections in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Design:

Open trial.

Setting:

A level-III NICU in a teaching hospital.

Participants:

Nurses, physicians, and other healthcare workers in the NICU.

Interventions:

A multimodal campaign for hand hygiene promotion was conducted beginning in September 1998. This program consisted of formal lectures, written instructions and posted reminders regarding hand hygiene and proper handwashing techniques, covert observation, financial incentives, and regular group feedback on compliance. Surveillance of handwashing compliance and nosocomial infections before and during the program was analyzed.

Results:

Overall compliance with hand hygiene improved from 43% at baseline to 80% during the promotion program. The rate of nosocomial infections decreased from 15.13 to 10.69 per 1,000 patient-days (P = .003) with improved handwashing compliance. In particular, respiratory tract infections decreased from 3.35 to 1.06 per 1,000 patient-days during the handwashing campaign (P = .002). Furthermore, the correlation between nosocomial infection of the respiratory tract and handwashing compliance also reached statistical significance (r = -0.385; P = .014).

Conclusions:

Improved compliance with handwashing was associated with a significant decrease in overall rates of nosocomial infection and respiratory infections in particular. Washing hands is a simple, economical, and effective method for preventing nosocomial infections in the NICU

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 25 , Issue 9 , September 2004 , pp. 742 - 746
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2004

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