Improving hand hygiene compliance among anesthesia providers in the OR

Editor's Note

Educating anesthesia providers on the World Health Organization’s five indications for hand hygiene, increasing access to hand hygiene products in the OR, and monitoring  hand hygiene among anesthesia providers can improve hand hygiene compliance, this study finds.

Hand hygiene was observed in three phases: Preimplementation, postimplementation, and 60 days postimplementation.

There was significant improvement in compliance for each of the five indications for hand hygiene and overall compliance. Each of the three phases also had significant improvements. However, there was a significant decrease in both glove use and use of a portable hand sanitizer device.

Further research should examine the proximity to hand hygiene products in relation to compliance, the authors say.