A substantial percentage of healthcare infections are attributable to the healthcare stakeholders’ actions. Hand hygiene is a crucial way in which healthcare facilities can prevent diseases, and improve the quality of care. The article evaluating hand hygiene compliance among healthcare staff in the intensive care unit discusses the role of handwashing compliance in intensive care unit operations (Musu et al., 2017). Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) have been on the rise, making it crucial for healthcare facilities to implement measures to improve the outcomes. Evaluating the compliance with standards, such as hand washing, can help healthcare administrators establish areas of improvement they need to focus on (Musu et al., 2017). For instance, examining the handwashing protocols can help determine whether there is a need to enforce stricter protocols and monitor the staff members’ conduct.
The researchers in the article establish a low adherence to best hygiene practices within the intensive care unit. The findings highlight the need for healthcare facilities to ensure they periodically review their standard precautions and hygiene practices to establish areas of non-compliance (Musu et al., 2017). The knowledge of the healthcare staff members, such as nurses, needs to be continually evaluated to fill the existing gaps. For instance, determining whether the nurses understand handwashing hygiene on healthcare-associated infections can improve training. The improvements in healthcare outcomes are dependent on the contribution of all stakeholders within the healthcare facility (Musu et al., 2017). For instance, nurses’ and physicians’ mutual understanding of handwashing’s importance can ensure the incidence of healthcare infections declines and the quality of care improves. Nurses have a mandate to continually wash their hands since they interact with multiple patients and are at risk of passing an infection from one to another.
Reference
Musu, M., Lai, A., Mereu, N. M., Galletta, M., Campagna, M., Tidore, M.,… & Coppola, R. C. (2017). Assessing hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers in six Intensive Care Units. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, 58(3), E231.