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Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infectious diseases typically acquired in health care facilities such as hospitals. Many HAIs are antimicrobial resistant and can result in severe complications or even death. In Canada, about 250,000 people- or one out of every nine patients admitted to hospital each year are infected with an HAI while being treated for something else. Every year, more than 8,000 patients die from healthcare acquired infections. Proper infection prevention and control practices, including hand hygiene, are important to keep patients safe.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "Hands are the main pathways of germ transmission during health care. Hand hygiene is therefore the most important measure to avoid the transmission of harmful germs and prevent health care-associated infections." Since hand hygiene plays a significant role in patient safety, it is also an Accreditation Canada Required Organizational Practice (ROP).
Public Health Ontario advises that an effective hand hygiene program must be multi faceted, including a combination of leadership, education, environmental changes, the right hand- cleaning products at the point of care, visual reminders and measurement. At PRH, our hand hygiene program is guided by Public Health Ontario’s "Just Clean Your Hands Program". This is a multi-faceted, evidence-based program which was developed to help reduce health care associated infections and spread of infection by providing focused education and tools for promoting, evaluating and auditing health care providers.
The hand hygiene program includes education and training, visual reminders and cues, product placement and auditing and feedback. Monthly hand hygiene audit reports are shared with all staff. Staff, patients and families can also access organizational hand hygiene compliance rates on the PRH website. Education and training is provided to all staff through orientation and annual eLearning, discussion at safety huddles and departmental in-services. Click here for the ‘Q-Tip’
Hand hygiene may be performed either by using alcohol based hand rub or soap and running water. In health care, hand hygiene is required at four moments:
When visibly soiled, your hands must be washed using soap and water. Otherwise, hand hygiene using alcohol based hand rub is the preferred method.
And remember, good hand hygiene is critical to preventing infection and keeping both STAFF and PATIENTS HEALTHY!
To learn more, contact a member of the Infection Prevention and Control Team at extension 7106 or by email: infectioncontrol@prh.email or information can be found in the Hand Hygiene policies.