Strategies to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections through Hand Hygiene

Publication Date: February 7, 2023

Key Points

Key Points

  • Hand hygiene programs should strive to create a culture of safety in which all healthcare personnel (HCP) collaborate to protect patients or residents.
  • Interprofessional dialogue and safe spaces for learning about hand hygiene provide motivation and engagement of HCP.
  • This pocket guide highlights practical recommendations to assist acute care hospitals in implementing and prioritizing efforts to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) through hand hygiene.
  • It is based on a synthesis of evidence, theoretical rationale, current practices, practical considerations, author consensus, and consideration of potential harm, where applicable.
  • No guideline or expert guidance document can anticipate all clinical situations. This pocket guide is not meant to be a substitute for individual clinical judgment by qualified professionals.

Recommendations

...mendations...

...Recommendations to Prevent Healthcare-Asso...

...ices: foundational to all HAI prevention progr...

...maintenance of healthy hand skin and fingernails...

...ote the preferential use of alcohol-based han...

b. Perform hand hygiene as indicate...

...de fingernail care in facility-specific...

...ude measures for primary and secondary preven...

...ith readily accessible, facility-approved hand moi...

...HCP in primary prevention of occupationa...

...Provide cotton glove liners for HCP with hand i...

...t appropriate products. (H = High)211703...

...or routine hand hygiene, choose li...

...ve HCP in selection of products. (H...

.... Obtain and consider manufacturers...

...Confirm that the volume of ABHS dispensed is con...

...e HCP about an appropriate volume of...

...cility-approved hand moisturizer that is c...

...urgical antisepsis, use an FDA-approve...

...Ensure the accessibility of hand hygiene suppli...

...sure that ABHS dispensers are unambiguous,...

...vate rooms, consider 2 ABHS dispensers...

...rivate rooms, suites, bays, and other multi-patien...

...hat the placement of hand hygiene supplies...

...e risk of intentional consumption....

...Have surgical hand rub and scrub available in...

...onsider providing ABHS hand rubs or hand...

...e appropriate glove use to reduce ha...

...r all contact with the patient and...

...HCP about the potential for self-contaminati...

...immediately following glove removal. If handw...

...d confirm the ability of HCP to doff gloves in a...

...s to reduce environmental contaminati...

...at handwashing sinks are constructed accordi...

...washing sinks in water infection control ris...

...f possible, dedicate sinks to handwashing....

.... Educate HCP to refrain from disposing subs...

...ed States Environmental Protection Agency...

...not keep medications or patient care...

...sposable or single-use towels to dry ha...

...lt with state or local public health...

6. Monitor adherence to hand hygiene. (H...

...Use multiple methods to measure adherenc...

...dvantages and limitations of each type...

...imely and meaningful feedback to enha...

...back in multiple formats (e.g., verbal, writte...

...iefing unit managers as soon as possible...

...vide meaningful data with clear ta...

...pproaches: may be considered for use in locat...

...cating HCP using a structured approach (e.g.,...

...erborne pathogens of premise plumbing, consider di...

...idioides difficile and norovirus, in addition...

...es that Should Not be Considered a Routine P...

...Do not supply individual pocket-sized ABHS disp...

...Do not refill or “top-off ” soap dis...

...not use antimicrobial soaps formula...

...outinely double-glove except when specif...

...inely disinfect gloves during care except when...

...o not remove access to ABHS when responding to o...

...pt to remediate potential biofilms in sink...

...solved Issues

11. HCP use of alcohol-impregnated h...


...tions for Hand HygieneHaving trouble viewing...


Table 3. Methods to Measure Hand HygieneHaving tro...


...pe and Timing of Feedback by Hand Hygiene M...


...ics for Reporting Adherence to Hand HygieneHaving...