Infection control and hospital epidemiology : the official journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · May 2018
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyRole of Hand Hygiene Ambassador and Implementation of Directly Observed Hand Hygiene Among Residents in Residential Care Homes for the Elderly in Hong Kong.
OBJECTIVEMultidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are increasingly reported in residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs). We assessed whether implementation of directly observed hand hygiene (DOHH) by hand hygiene ambassadors can reduce environmental contamination with MDROs. METHODSFrom July to August 2017, a cluster-randomized controlled study was conducted at 10 RCHEs (5 intervention versus 5 nonintervention controls), where DOHH was performed at two-hourly intervals during daytime, before meals and medication rounds by a one trained nurse in each intervention RCHE. ⋯ The volume of ABHR consumed per resident per week was 3 times higher in the intervention arm compared with the baseline (59.3±12.9 mL vs 19.7±12.6 mL; P<.001) and was significantly higher than the nonintervention arm (59.3±12.9 mL vs 23.3±17.2 mL; P=.006). CONCLUSIONSThe direct observation of hand hygiene of residents could reduce environmental contamination by MDROs in RCHEs. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:571-577.