TY - JOUR
T1 - Reducing the risk of health care-associated infections by complying with CDC hand hygiene guidelines.
AU - Camins, Bernard C.
AU - Fraser, Victoria J.
N1 - Funding Information:
The hand hygiene program at Barnes-Jewish Hospital (BJH), St. Louis, was established in 2002 by the BJC Infection Control and Epidemiology Consortium. The program was originally established as one of BJH’s patient safety initiatives. BJH was also fortuitous to receive funding from the CDC to find ways to improve hand hygiene compliance rates among health care workers. The Consortium, along with the BJC Patient Safety Program and the Medical Informatics Laboratory, functions under the auspices of the Center for Health-Care Quality and Effectiveness. This Center coordinates quality assessment for the entire BJC health care system, which includes 12 hospitals including BJH, a 1400-bed tertiary care hospital.
PY - 2005/3
Y1 - 2005/3
N2 - BACKGROUND: The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has made the reduction of health care-associated infections one of its National Patient Safety Goals for 2005. CASE STUDY: A 57-year-old man who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery was discharged from the hospital without any complications. During his routine follow-up surgery clinic visit two weeks later, his sternal wound was found to be infected. Wound and blood cultures were positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). IMPLEMENTING SOLUTIONS: Health care workers at Barnes-Jewish Hospital (BJH), St. Louis, attended a mandatory educational session that reviewed hand hygiene guidelines and the hospital policy related to hand hygiene and infection control. In addition, posters and flyers were posted. An increase in the use of alcohol hand rubs was found. In a later effort, a multidisciplinary hand hygiene campaign was launched at one of the BJC community hospitals. All physicians were sent hand hygiene materials and supplies, and signs were posted in key areas such as the hospital cafeteria. After a six-month period, the compliance rate increased from 35% to 53%. CONCLUSION: Hospital-related infections will never be completely eradicated, but many can be prevented.
AB - BACKGROUND: The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has made the reduction of health care-associated infections one of its National Patient Safety Goals for 2005. CASE STUDY: A 57-year-old man who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery was discharged from the hospital without any complications. During his routine follow-up surgery clinic visit two weeks later, his sternal wound was found to be infected. Wound and blood cultures were positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). IMPLEMENTING SOLUTIONS: Health care workers at Barnes-Jewish Hospital (BJH), St. Louis, attended a mandatory educational session that reviewed hand hygiene guidelines and the hospital policy related to hand hygiene and infection control. In addition, posters and flyers were posted. An increase in the use of alcohol hand rubs was found. In a later effort, a multidisciplinary hand hygiene campaign was launched at one of the BJC community hospitals. All physicians were sent hand hygiene materials and supplies, and signs were posted in key areas such as the hospital cafeteria. After a six-month period, the compliance rate increased from 35% to 53%. CONCLUSION: Hospital-related infections will never be completely eradicated, but many can be prevented.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=21244500461&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S1553-7250(05)31023-3
DO - 10.1016/S1553-7250(05)31023-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 15828601
AN - SCOPUS:21244500461
SN - 1553-7250
VL - 31
SP - 173
EP - 179
JO - Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
JF - Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
IS - 3
ER -