[oramar]

My little hospital belongs to a large Health System. We have a very good record on nosocomical infections. A graph was issued saying we had the worst hand washing rate in the health system. I just wonder how that info was compiled. One person says that their are spies assigned to each unit. If it is true that is not very scientific.

[kcrnsue]

Maybe they send out patient surveys?

[witnurse]

Originally Posted by oramar

My little hospital belongs to a large Health System. We have a very good record on nosocomical infections. A graph was issued saying we had the worst hand washing rate in the health system. I just wonder how that info was compiled. One person says that their are spies assigned to each unit. If it is true that is not very scientific.

They may be following amounts of liquid soap and alcohol hand rub used per 100 patient days. That is one of the ways I track hand hygiene.
Cheryl

[meownsmile]

We have staff visually auditing handwashing as one of their indicators. Probly a ratio/proportion formula they use to come to percentage of compliance.
I know our facility didnt come in to great last time either.

[Nickle]

At our facility, the infection control department uses both methods (tracking hand rub usage and having staffers watch for complicance.) But to clarify the "spy" reference - it's not as bad as it sounds. When you are asked to do hand hygiene surveys, you are given very specific instructions to watch your chosen staffer for a predetermined length of time, and to track the opportunities for hygiene versus the number of times the hygiene was actually used. That's where the percentage comes from. The thing that leads to inaccuracies is when the watcher sits out at the desk and therefore can't see me wash my hands in the patient's room, as I often do. It's not a perfect system.