Even with the Hawthorne Effect, Hand Hygiene Compliance Still Hideous

One way to deal with low hand hygiene compliance

A recurring theme has emerged in hand hygiene science - when you really look, compliance is very very low. A study 5 years ago reported that compliance was below 10% when hidden video monitoring was utilized. Our group has quantified the impact of the Hawthorne Effect, improved behavior when subjects know they're being observed, on hand hygiene compliance. In a multicenter study, we found that both measured exit and entry compliance increased the longer direct observers remained on the unit.

There is a report of a new APIC abstract in ABC-News that further quantifies that impact of the Hawthorne Effect and highlights the lack of investment in hand hygiene programs. Investigators from Santa Clara, California compared compliance measured by well-recognized Infection Prevention nurses, to observations collected by unknown high-school and college-aged volunteers who were trained to use the same surveillance methods. Here are their findings:

So, what do I make of these findings? First, even 57% is too low. Second, hospitals and healthcare systems continue to throw hand hygiene programs under the rug. We are much happier to report compliance rates of 100% collected by nurse managers on the floor (or compliance of 57% by recognized IPs) and ignore the problem than spend time and money detecting compliance rates of 22%, which would then require additional investments in proven hand hygiene interventions.

Any administrator, who thinks compliance in their hospital is higher than 70% or 90%, won't invest in hand hygiene programs. Since hospitals are happier to report compliance of 90% to the Joint Commission, we also won't invest in technological and socio-adaptive interventions that will finally improve the safety of our hospitals. We must work to create a safety culture where it is better to report hand hygiene compliance of 20% than falsely high compliance rates of 90%.

image source: montonara.com

SHEA Abstract Deadline - January 29, 2016

Good morning!


I'm sure that you all have plenty of time on your hands with Ebola and contact precautions all but eliminated! Nice that most of us infection prevention and control types finally have some valuable time on our hands to do science!

SHEA now accepts abstracts with original data and last year over 200 abstracts were presented in Orlando. (I think it was closer to 250, but I've lost my notes) Anyway, get into your data and start writing - you only have until January 29th!

See you in Atlanta in May!

SHEA 2015: Abstract Site Open

The planning continues for an exciting SHEA Spring 2015 Conference, which will take place May 14-17 in Orlando. The meeting will have a broader format while retaining the highly successful SHEA-CDC Certificate Training Course in Infection Prevention & Healthcare Epidemiology. New additions include a SHEA Certificate Course in Infection Prevention for Long Term Care and focused scientific abstracts related to healthcare epidemiology, including poster and oral abstract awards. The SHEA 2015 abstract submission site just opened and the deadline for submissions is January 16th. So, get excited, tell your friends and start doing science - we can't wait to see what you're doing! And remember, you can't win an abstract award if you don't submit an abstract.

Do you have a question?

IDWeek abstract dispositions were just emailed last week. Hopefully you received good news and have already started planning your trip to Philadelphia! IDweek discounted registration closes July 25th.

For those also attending SHEA2015 in Orlando, this will be the first SHEA meeting in three years where we will be accepting abstracts (kinda like the old days but with competitions, voting and awards). So get busy making science - abstract submission closes January 16, 2015.

Whether you are attending IDWeek, SHEA or both meetings, I thought a quick review of Q&A etiquette was in order. I've pasted an algorithm to follow when you're thinking of asking a question at either meeting. These questions are particularly important to follow if you're thinking about asking a question during a University of Iowa student presentation. Thanks!

source: this diagram has been all over twitter the past two months. I have no idea who to thank or where to give attribution. If anyone knows, please comment and I will update the post. 

Submit your work to IDWeek!

Although the abstract deadline for IDWeek is still 2 months away, it is not too early to decide what work you wish to submit for presentation in San Diego in October. The abstract submission site is open until May 11, 2012 for regular submissions and until August 10, 2012 for late breakers.

Abstract of the Year?

I know this isn't HAI related, but it did have me dreaming up abstracts for some of my projects...

This is a real paper that can be found here.

h/t JJ Furuno and the incidental economist