Who Would Do It...Monitor Handwashing?

Nurses General Nursing

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If your hospital had one of those new fangled doohickey systems that monitor your handwashing via your badge and an infrared sensor, etc. which department would monitor and report the results? I'm thinking IT, or maybe if it's a big hospital, the specialized infection control department? I'm doing a paper and trying to get an idea of who would (or who is currently) monitoring something like that...Seems like IT would def need to be involved, right? Or am I wrong about that??

Infection control. IT is not a clinical department.

Specializes in ER, ICU.

God help us.

Specializes in Psych, OB-GYN.
God help us.

Yah, that.

Infection control. IT is not a clinical department.

Yes, I know IT is not a clinical department, but how would infection control keep their records, etc? How would infection control setup, maintain, and report a database system that shows all the uses, etc of the monitoring device?

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

yep big brother is watching staffs every move in hospitals from room tracking devices to hand sanitation---

please make sure that all lab, environmental and medical personal are tracked too along with familiy members to close the infection potential loop...

search engine google is such a great friend: monitor handwashing + infection control reports

uthcpc procedures - introduction to infection control

monitor handwashing practices of direct care staff ... the infection control practitioner reports the nosocomial infection rate to the infection control committee

info on "handwash sensing devices"

system consists of a handwash sensing device mounted next to each gel or soap dispenser, a bed monitor at every patient bed, and a badge worn by each healthcare worker. when the employee applies gel or soap to their hands, they place their hand under the handwash sensing device which confirms that the hand has soap or gel on it while instantly identifying the employee. simultaneously, a green led light on the employee badge illuminates verifying to the healthcare worker and the patient that a hand wash event has occurred. also, the date, time and location of the handwash event are wirelessly transmitted to the central server. when the employee comes within the field of the proximity sensing bed monitor, the system wirelessly verifies that the healthcare worker badge is illuminated. if the badge is not illuminated when it comes into the proximity of the bed monitor, the badge vibrates a reminder to the healthcare worker to wash their hands.

what are family members instructed to do when they visit the patient?organizations may choose to issue temporary id badges to patient visitors. family members should follow the hospital guidelines for washing hands in a patient care area....

http://www.xhale.com/hygreen/solution/faq.asp

an thread: miami hospital tests technology to monitor hand-washing

hygienic design article describes sinks and devices being implimented to improve infection control.

Well, this would already have been worked out prior to purchase and implementation of such a system. In research prior to purchase, IT and Infection Control might meet to discover what type of data/acuracy could be gleaned from such a system and how to integrate. Infection Control people should have clinical research background and approach this like any other project. They would report to the powers that be. The powers that be would meet and decide what to do with the results as far as specific employee compliance, etc. is involved.

Specializes in Float Pool-Med-Surg, Telemetry, IMCU.

Wow. While hand hygiene is doubtless important, the concept of being monitored while performing it is definately creepy. Some of the local hospitals here (thankfully not the one I work in) make staff wear a tracking device while on the floor; I don't like it- it's like being microchipped. So Orwellian! :chair:

Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

Retiring is looking better and better.

ty for your kind words and generous support. it's so good knowing that there is a place such as an to go to when bouncing ideas off of others in the field. to know that when you don't have experience in the area you're needing help with, that you can get support from those that do...to not know the correct terminology of things and have the wonderful people here that are professionals, help with finding the info...that's such a help and you, as well as the others are a real blessing.

yep big brother is watching staffs every move in hospitals from room tracking devices to hand sanitation---

please make sure that all lab, environmental and medical personal are tracked too along with familiy members to close the infection potential loop...

search engine google is such a great friend: monitor handwashing + infection control reports

info on "handwash sensing devices"

an thread: miami hospital tests technology to monitor hand-washing

hygienic design article describes sinks and devices being implimented to improve infection control.

Well, this would already have been worked out prior to purchase and implementation of such a system. In research prior to purchase, IT and Infection Control might meet to discover what type of data/acuracy could be gleaned from such a system and how to integrate. Infection Control people should have clinical research background and approach this like any other project. They would report to the powers that be. The powers that be would meet and decide what to do with the results as far as specific employee compliance, etc. is involved.

Thanks, onaclearday!

God help us.

Help you w/what, nurse? Are you OK?

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