Do the 3,4 and 5
Heather Firth1, Tana Clark2, Emily Cutting3, , 1THS Northwest, Latrobe, Tasmania, Australia2THS Northwest, Burnie, Tasmania, Australia3THS Northwest, Latrobe, Tasmania, Australia
Background
“Effective Hand Hygiene is the single most important strategy in the prevention of health care associated infections”.
Actions
For World Hand Hygiene Day (WHHD) 2021 the Tasmanian Health Service (THS) North West (NW) Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Team conducted an education program focussing on visitor hand hygiene. The theme was, ‘Enter our door, Do the 4’.
In preparation for WHHD 2023 our IPC team collaborated and devised a patient focused hand hygiene program. In consultation with our media unit, an additional poster was developed, underpinning the day’s activities. On WHHD IPC staff went to the bedside to promote the 3 Moments of Hand Hygiene for patients, copies of the ‘Do the 3’ poster was placed on patient meal trays. ‘Do the 3’ posters and banners were displayed in public areas of the hospitals, including Outpatients and Pre-Admission clinic. Additionally promoting patient hand hygiene has been included in staff education.
The visitor and patient posters are based on the WHO ‘5 Moments for Hand Hygiene’ and include advice about both WHEN as well as WHY hand hygiene should be attended at these times.
Results
A suite of posters available to provide Hand Hygiene education to staff, visitors, and patients.
•World Health Organisation (WHO) ‘5 Moments of hand hygiene’ for HEALTHCARE WORKERS
•THS NW ‘Enter the Door, Do the 4’ for healthcare facility VISITORS – ‘”
•THS NW ‘Do the 3’ for PATIENTS
Conclusion
Successful WHHD 2023 program, and development of useful consumer resources for ongoing use
Biography
Emily is employed as Clinical Nurse Consultant, Infection Prevention and Control at Mersey Community Hospital. As part of THS Northwest Infection Prevention and Control Team this work was collaborative team project .