Kate Manserra
1Tasmanian Health Service (North West), Latrobe, Australia
Background: During a 12-month audit period, at one hospital, it was observed that of all moments where glove use was recorded, healthcare workers did not perform hand hygiene (HH) 28.4% of the time. International literature suggests there is reduced HH compliance and increased risk of spreading pathogens with “routine” glove use, because gloves create a false sense of security that encourages inappropriate use. The Plan, Do, Study, Act quality improvement cycle was applied to the issue.
Method: 12 months of HH audit data across two regional hospitals was analysed. Interactive face-to-face education sessions were run across the hospital, and primary health sites, either as group inservices, or ad hoc trolley sessions for World HH Day, with prizes given out for taking part. Qualitative data was collected from group sessions and an informal staff survey to gather perceptions of glove misuse and its infection risks. Quantitative HH auditing data specific to glove use was collected after the educational campaign to assess whether improvements had been made.
Results: Staff engaged enthusiastically with the interactive activities and information. At the time of abstract submission, not enough HH audit data post the campaign had been collected to make an assessment of quantitative impact.
Conclusion: Glove use must be specifically integrated into HH policy, along with continual auditing, and education about indications for glove use and correct donning and doffing technique. When designing effective interventions to reduce misuse and overuse of gloves, there also needs to be an understanding of the drivers of that behaviour.
Biography: Kate Manserra is a Clinical Nurse Educator – Infection Prevention & Control based at Mersey Community Hospital and working across the North West region in Tasmania. She completed a Master of Global Public Health from Griffith University in 2020, specialising in Infectious Diseases, Leadership and Health Services Management. Prior to moving to Tasmania in 2020 to work in Infection Prevention & Control, she worked in Victoria in a variety of healthcare settings and organisations including rural and metro, plastics and orthopaedic wound care, infectious diseases, vaccination, drug & alcohol, general practice and aged care.