Hand Hygiene
Proper Handwashing(High Quality PDF - 300 KB)Good hand hygiene results in better, safer care, and it is a necessity for anyone in the hospital environment, particularly for those who come into contact with patients.
Niagara Health’s increased efforts in promoting proper hand washing have resulted in a significant rise in the number of healthcare providers and support staff cleaning their hands before and after every contact with patients.
Over the last year, Niagara Health has held educational sessions, increased hand-washing signage containing tips, and encouraged discussions among staff on how to improve hand hygiene. Additional alcohol hand dispensers for use by staff and the public were installed across all sites that are within an arm’s reach of patient beds and in key areas in hallways, meeting rooms and other high-traffic areas.
The first hand hygiene audit was conducted in March 2009 at all sites and on all units during various shifts. All healthcare professionals and support staff who came into contact with patients were audited. These audits were continued quarterly over the past year, leading to a 90 per cent overall compliance rate across all sites for the 2009-2010 fiscal year (April 2009 to March 2010). The increased focus on hand hygiene will continue to be a priority to sustain this success.
In addition, during the last fiscal year, the number of infection outbreaks at Niagara Health has decreased by 55 per cent as compared to the previous fiscal year.
Good hand hygiene is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of many infections. Please use the alcohol hand-rub that is widely available through dispensers in key areas across our sites frequently and use soap and water when hands are visibly soiled. Encourage colleagues, patients and visitors to follow safe hand hygiene practices, too.
Tips for cleaning hands properly
- Rub all parts of the hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and running water
- Pay special attention to fingertips, between fingers, backs of hands and base of the thumbs
- Keep nails short and clean
- Remove rings and bracelets
- Do not wear artificial nails
- Remove chipped nail polish
- Make sure that sleeves are pushed up and do not get wet
- Clean hands for a minimum of 15 seconds
- Dry hands thoroughly
- Apply lotion to hands frequently
Hand Hygiene Compliance
Percentage Compliance Before Patient/ Patient Environment Contact
Source of Data:
MoHLTC Hand Hygiene Observation Tool and internal audit information. Audit process is applied to all inpatient nursing units, covering all shifts and all days of the week. Each audit observation period is 20 minutes in length.
Reporting Cycle:
Quarterly. Publicly reported annually
Definitions:
Hand hygiene relates to the removal of visible soil and the removal or killing of microorganisms from the hands and may be accomplished using soap and running water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
This indicator focuses on the first of the four indications:
(i) Before initial patient/patient environment contact;
Hand hygiene compliance rates are a percentage for time periods identified by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, using the following formula:
| # of times hand hygiene performed | x 100 |
| # of observed hand hygiene indications |
Percentage Compliance After Patient/ Patient Environment Contact
Source of Data:
MoHLTC Hand Hygiene Observation Tool and internal audit information. Audit process is applied to all inpatient nursing units, covering all shifts and all days of the week. Each audit observation period is 20 minutes in length.
Reporting Cycle:
Quarterly. Publicly reported annually
Definitions:
Hand hygiene relates to the removal of visible soil and the removal or killing of microorganisms from the hands and may be accomplished using soap and running water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
This indicator focuses on the first of the four indications:
(iv) After patient/patient environment contact.
Hand hygiene compliance rates are a percentage for time periods identified by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, using the following formula:
| # of times hand hygiene performed | x 100 |
| # of observed hand hygiene indications |