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Hand Antisepsis: Evaluation of a Sprayer System for Alcohol Distribution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Karine Barrau ,
Clarisse Rovery ,
Michel Drancourt  and
Philippe Brouqui
Karine Barrau
Affiliation:
Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Nord, Hôtel-Dieu Marseille, France
Clarisse Rovery
Affiliation:
Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Nord, Hôtel-Dieu Marseille, France
Michel Drancourt
Affiliation:
Comité de Lutte contre les Infections Nosocomiales, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Hôtel-Dieu Marseille, France
Philippe Brouqui*
Affiliation:
Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Nord, Hôtel-Dieu Marseille, France Comité de Lutte contre les Infections Nosocomiales, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Hôtel-Dieu Marseille, France
*
Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Nord, chemin des Bourrelys, 13015 Marseille, France
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Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate the usefulness of a new alcohol sprayer by comparing it with an individual bottle of alcohol. Patterns of use and perceptions among healthcare personnel were compared for the two products.

Design:

Observational study recording the volume of alcohol used and the compliance rate (frequency of hand antisepsis per number of opportunities), and a survey of healthcare workers' perceptions of the different hand hygiene strategies.

Setting:

A 20-bed medical unit in a public hospital in Marseille, France.

Participants:

Healthcare workers of an infectious disease unit.

Interventions:

Hand hygiene alcohol systems (sprayer vs individual bottle, 70% ethyl alcohol).

Results:

The sprayer was used more frequently than the individual bottle (12.6 vs 9.7 hand washes per day). With the sprayer system, compliance was 91% for physicians, 28% for nurses, and 8% for housekeeping personnel. Alcohol hand antisepsis was preferred to washing hands with soap and water in low-risk situations such as simple entrance into a room (91% vs 36%; P < 10-6) or simple contact with a patient (69% vs 40%; P < .005). The sprayer system was considered easier to use (95%), more hygienic (90%), and faster (92%), with a better tolerance than the individual bottle.

Conclusion:

The new alcohol sprayer should improve rapid hand antisepsis.

Type
Orginal Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 24 , Issue 3 , March 2003 , pp. 180 - 183
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2003

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