How-to Guide: Improving Hand Hygiene

​Institute for Healthcare Improvement
(in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, and the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America)
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA


Last updated: April 2006

 
The purpose of this How-to Guide is to help organizations reduce healthcare-associated infections, including infections due to antibiotic-resistant organisms, by improving hand hygiene practices and use of gloves among health care workers.
 
The guide includes:
  • A description of the case for improving hand hygiene and use of gloves among health care workers
  • Recommended evidence-based interventions that will result in improvement
  • How to begin improving hand hygiene compliance in your organization, including establishing a team, setting aims, testing changes, and measuring results
  • Measurement support tools
 
Background
This guide was prepared in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), and the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), and has been endorsed by APIC and SHEA. Valuable input also was provided by the World Health Organization's World Alliance for Patient Safety through the Global Patient Safety Challenge.
 
In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee published a comprehensive Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings.
 
Recognizing a worldwide need to improve hand hygiene in health care facilities, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care (Advanced Draft) in October 2005.

Please note: Clinical content evolves rapidly as the scientific evidence-base changes. The content of this report was last updated April 2006.

Therefore, this report may not reflect scientific changes that have taken place since that time and may not be aligned with the most recent clinical evidence and practice guidelines. The information provided in this report is for informational purposes only, and is not diagnostic or formal clinical guidance. IHI expressly disclaims any and all representations and warranties with respect to the content of the report, including without limitation any representation or warranty with respect to the accuracy of such information or its fitness for a particular purpose. Further, IHI expressly disclaims any obligation to update this report. By downloading this report, you agree, for yourself and on behalf of your organization, if any, that IHI expressly disclaims and shall have no exposure for any and all liabilities, losses, or damages of any type or nature, regardless of the theory pursuant to which the claim for such liabilities, losses, or damages are brought, and whether such liabilities, losses, or damages are direct, indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential.

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