Assignment: Hand Hygiene Evidence-Based Practice Hand Hygiene Compliance

Assignment: Hand Hygiene Evidence-Based Practice Hand Hygiene Compliance

Assignment: Hand Hygiene Evidence-Based Practice

Hand Hygiene Compliance

Nurses as important part of the healthcare system and care provision should support interventions that improve patient safety and quality care outcomes. Hand hygiene plays a major role in reducing and eliminating the spread of germs and infections from healthcare providers to patients. Good hand hygiene is considered an effective way to prevent infections among all stakeholders, especially from providers to patients (Martos-Cabrera et al., 2019). Infectious diseases and hospital acquired infections (HAIs) are critical risks to young, the elderly, and those with preexisting conditions as well as individuals with a compromised immune system. Hand hygiene compliance among nurses is an effective way to reduce and prevent infections and promote patient safety as well as quality outcomes.

Comparison of the Pro and Con Sides of Hand Hygiene

Hand hygiene as an essential aspect of patient safety is essential with existing studies demonstrating its efficacy and effectiveness in reducing and preventing the spread and transmission of infections among patients and even providers. According to a systematic review on hand hygiene of nurses and patient safety, Malliarou (2018) asserts that nurses should wash their hands not only to prevent their contact with germs and infections that could lead to sickness but to protect their patients from getting healthcare associated infections (HAIs). The study notes that noncompliance to hand hygiene is a primary cause of nosocomial infections in healthcare settings. Good hand hygiene plays a significant part in reducing and eliminating the spread of germs and infections among patients. As such, there are several benefits to hand hygiene practices by healthcare providers as opposed to possible negative effects.

A core con revealed from existing evidence is that a significant number of healthcare providers clean their hands less than half of the times that they should. As such, limited compliance to hand hygiene measures means that these providers contribute to the spread of healthcare associated infections which impact one in every 31 hospital patients on any day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is categorical that every patient is at risk of acquiring an infection as they get treated for different diagnoses. The prevention of germs spread is essential and does not constitute any adverse effects on facilities, patients, and providers.

Impact of the Issue on Delivery of Health and Nursing Profession

Sufficient research evidence shows that hand hygiene measures affect the overall delivery of health and the nursing profession. In their systematic review of literature on hand hygiene knowledge and compliance among nursing students, Labrague et al. (2020) assert that there is low-to-moderate awareness and compliance among this group. The study shows the impact of enhancing knowledge among nursing students so that they comply with hand hygiene measures as demonstrated by higher rates among their medical counterparts.

Again, the study by Hillier (2020) emphasizes the effective use of hand hygiene practices to prevent and control infections. The study asserts that decontamination using hand hygiene is one of the most critical and effective ways for nurses and other healthcare providers to minimize and prevent the occurrence of HAIs and cross-infections among patients. The article demonstrates correct procedures that providers can use to attain effective hand hygiene. The article is categorical that nurses should be up-to-date with the evidence-based guidelines on hand hygiene like the use of hand sanitizers and hand washing approaches. The use of alcohol-based hand gels and the soap and water are considered in different measures as effective to attaining compliance on hand hygiene. The author shows that the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic raised the need for optimal hand hygiene practices to reduce cross-contamination and spread of the infectious disease.  

The study by Sandbol et al. (2022) compared the levels of hand hygiene compliance among healthcare worker before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study argues that unlike other findings that demonstrate a rise in hand hygiene compliance levels before the pandemic, it did not find any significant difference between the rates before and during the pandemic. This implies that nurses and other healthcare providers should increase their compliance to hand hygiene measures not just at times of pandemics and serious infections but all the times. Hand hygiene is essential because it reduce the rate of infections.

Personal Statement on Hand Hygiene Compl