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Effect of Education on Hand Hygiene Beliefs and Practices A 5-Year Program

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Mary F. Wisniewski*
Affiliation:
John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois
Seijeoung Kim
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, University of Illinois, School of Public Health, Chicago, Illinois
William E. Trick
Affiliation:
John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois
Sharon F. Welbel
Affiliation:
John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois
Robert A. Weinstein
Affiliation:
John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois
*
John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, (formerly Cook County Hospital), 1901 W. Harrison St., Administration Bldg., Rm. 1460, Chicago, IL 60612, (Wise@aol.com)

Abstract

To evaluate infection control and hand hygiene understanding at 3 public hospitals, we surveyed 4,345 healthcare workers (HCWs) 3 times during a 5-year infection control intervention. The preference for the use of alcohol hand rub for hand hygiene increased dramatically; in nurses, it increased from 14% to 34%; in physicians, 4.3% to 51%; and in allied HCWs, 12% to 44%. Study year, infection control interactive education-session attendance, infection control knowledge, and being a physician or allied HCW independently predicted a preference for alcohol hand rub.

Type
Concise Communication
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2007

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