The Medical journal of Australia
-
To describe the planning and execution of a statewide campaign aimed at improving compliance with hand hygiene practices in New South Wales public hospitals. ⋯ The CEC was successful in systematising the placement of AHR in all NSW public hospitals at the point of patient care. Although the use of AHR increased substantially, some staff were resistant to changing their hand hygiene practices.
-
Junior doctors face specific pressures related to their professional stage and development and can be at risk of poor health. A confidential survey conducted in 2008 by the Australian Medical Association Council of Doctors in Training investigated the health and wellbeing of junior doctors. ⋯ A majority of junior doctors met well established criteria for low job satisfaction (71%), burnout (69%) and compassion fatigue (54%). The early stages of a medical career are demanding, and the health and wellbeing of junior doctors must be a personal priority, as well as the responsibility of the medical profession in general, to ensure a healthy medical workforce in the future.
-
To describe improvements in hand hygiene compliance after a statewide hand hygiene campaign conducted in New South Wales public hospitals. ⋯ An overall improvement in hand hygiene rates was achieved with the introduction of AHR. Increased adherence to before-patient contact compliance, especially by nursing staff, contributed to the progress made, but an acceptable overall level of hand hygiene practice is yet to be achieved. It is now time to focus on a long-term behavioural change program directed specifically at medical staff.
-
To present the results of surveys of staff, patients and visitors about their perceptions of hand hygiene behaviour before and after implementation of the Clean hands save lives campaign in New South Wales public hospitals. ⋯ As the first coordinated statewide campaign to modify hand hygiene culture, the Clean hands save lives campaign successfully engendered positive attitudes and dispelled negative perceptions about the onerous nature of before- and after-patient-contact hand hygiene compliance.