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Automated hand hygiene compliance system’s audible alert reminder increases healthcare worker hand hygiene compliance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2022

Kristen L. Webster*
Affiliation:
Department of Patient Safety, Regulatory, & Accreditation, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
Sarah M. Bishop
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Disease, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
LaShawn E. Scott
Affiliation:
Infection Prevention & Control Department, UofL Health - UofL Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky
Leah M. Oppy
Affiliation:
Infection Prevention & Control Department, UofL Health - UofL Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky
Crystal R. Heishman
Affiliation:
Infection Prevention & Control Department, UofL Health - Jewish Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky
Gina M. Stevenson
Affiliation:
Infection Prevention & Control Department, UofL Health - UofL Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky
Forest W. Arnold
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Disease, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
*
Author for correspondence: Kristen L. Webster, E-mail: Kristen.Webster@cchmc.org

Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate the effectiveness of an automated hand hygiene compliance system (AHHCS) audible alert and vibration for increasing hand hygiene compliance.

Design:

A nonrandomized, before-and-after, quasi-experimental study of an AHHCS was implemented in several inpatient units. Over a 51-day period, the system’s real-time audible alert was turned on, off, and back on. Overall, hand hygiene compliance was compared between days with activated and deactivated alerts and vibration.

Setting:

This study was conducted at a level 1 trauma center, a regional academic health system with 1,564 beds.

Participants:

The AHHCS was implemented in 9 inpatient units: 3 adult medical-surgical step-down units, and 6 adult intensive care units. The AHHCS badges were assigned to patient care assistants, registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, respiratory therapists, and physicians.

Intervention:

In the 9 inpatient units, selected healthcare staff were issued wearable badges that detected entry into and exit from a patient room. The audible alert was turned on for 16 days, turned off for 17 days, and then turned back on for 18 days, for a total of 51 days.

Results:

Utilization of the AHHCS real-time audible alert reminder resulted in sustained HH compliance ≥90%. When the alert and vibration were deactivated, HH compliance dropped to an average of 74% (range, 62%–78%). Once the alert resumed, HH compliance returned to ≥90%.

Conclusion:

Utilization of an AHHCS with real-time reminder audible alerts may be an effective method to increase healthcare worker HH compliance to ≥90%. Users of AHHCSs should consider the use of real-time reminders to improve HH compliance.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America

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