The effectiveness of alcohol based hand rubs and compliance with hand hygiene

Pittet et al.'s (2000) study observed that an increase in compliance with hand hygiene, especially alcohol based hand rubs, was related to a decrease in the rate of nosocomial infections. The results of this study can be used in a group utilization project of providing information on efficacy and compliance issues related to hand hygiene. All HCWs, but most importantly nurses, can recommend hand hygiene programs on specific units to ensure client health and reduce unwanted health care cost. Feasibility issues would include teaching correct hand hygiene technique and compliance for new hospital employees and costs of educational materials. Considerations would be the length of program, location, and implementation strategies. Future research might focus on the use of a smaller sample size, where more control can be obtained, and the use of different hand hygiene techniques in the prevention of nosocomial infections.