The purpose of this work was to investigate the adherence to basic hygiene routines among staff and to investigate if there is any difference between the adherences in diverse professions. The purpose was also to study how staff rates their own adherence to current guidelines. Data for the study were collected through observations and questionnaires. Altogether 35 people were observed and 15 answered the questionnaire. Maximum adherence was found in the category of "hand disinfection after patient contact" with a score of 96%. In the observation task “proper use of protective apron” a total adherence of 86 % was found. The observations in the category of "hand disinfection before patient contact" showed an adherence of 74 %. In the observation category "proper use of gloves" a total adherence of 52% was found. The greatest difference between professions was seen in the observation category of "proper use of gloves", where physicians’ observed adherence was 100% and the nurses observed adherence was 48%. In the observation category "proper use of apron” adherence varied between 76-91%. Adherence to “hand disinfection before patient contact” are lower in comparison with adherence to “hand disinfection after patient contact”. An awareness of this is seen in the responses also, with the majority indicating that their own routine deficiencies in this particular moment. Otherwise the compilation of the responses shows that staff rates their adherence lower than the observed adherence. We believe that our presence may have affected the staff during the observations with the consequence that adherence to the basic hygiene routines influenced in a positive direction. / Syftet med detta arbete var att undersöka följsamhet till basala hygienrutiner hos personal på en vårdavdelning samt undersöka eventuella skillnader i följsamhet mellan olika yrkeskategorier. Syftet med studien var också att undersöka hur personalen skattar sin egen följsamhet till gällande riktlinjer. Data till studien insamlades genom observationer och enkäter. Totalt observerades 35 personer och enkäten besvarades av 15 personer. Högst observerad följsamhet fanns i kategorin ”handdesinfektion efter patientkontakt” med ett resultat på 96 %. Observationsmomentet ”korrekt användning av skyddsförkläde” visade en total följsamhet på 86 %. Observationerna i kategorin ”handdesinfektion före patientkontakt” visade en följsamhet på 74 %. I observationsmomentet ”korrekt användning av handskar” fanns en total följsamhet på 52 %. Störst skillnad mellan personalkategorierna sågs i observationskategorin ”korrekt användning av handskar” där läkarnas observerade följsamhet var 100 % och undersköterskornas observerade följsamhet var 48 %.  I observationsmomentet ”korrekt användning av skyddsförkläde” varierade följsamheten mellan 76 – 91 %. Personalens observerade följsamhet till ”handdesinfektion före patientkontakt” är lägre i jämförelse med den observerade följsamheten till ”handdesinfektion efter patientkontakt”. En medvetenhet om detta syns i enkätsvaren där flertalet anger att deras egen rutin brister i just detta moment. I övrigt visar sammanställningen av enkätsvaren att personalen skattar sin följsamhet lägre än den observerade följsamheten. Vi anser att vår närvaro kan ha påverkat personalen vid observationerna med konsekvensen att följsamheten till de basala hygienrutinerna påverkats i positiv riktning.

Background: Healthcare associated infection (HCAI) is a global issue and one of the most frequent adverse events in healthcare. HCAI is a major burden for patients’ and leads to added pain and higher cost for the society. The most important measure to prevent the transmission of HCAI is hand hygiene. In developing countries can insufficient equipment and supplies, lack of financial support and understaffed hospital units have a negative effect for the patients safety and makes it difficult to reduce HCAI. Aim: The aim of the study was to get knowledge about Kenyan nurses’ experiences of healthcare-associated infections. Method: The author used a qualitative method. Individual semi-structured interviews were made with four nurses at a government financial hospital in Eldoret, Kenya. The interviews were analyzed with a manifest analysis. Result: The analysis of the transcribed text made five categories, Education for healthcare workers, students and patients, Lack of equipment and supplies, The issues with crosscontamination, Prevention of HCAI and Understaffed hospital. The results were discussed with Dorothea Orem’s Self-care Theory with a focus on the Theory of Nursing system and other studies relating to the results. Conclusion: Knowledge about HCAI is one of the first steps to be able to reduce infections. Cross-contamination is the main risk factor for HCAI and multiple interventions are an effective strategy to successfully increase hand hygiene.

No

Bakgrund: Socialstyrelsens basala hygienrutiner och främst handhygien är en viktig och grundläggande del av sjuksköterskans arbete inom hälso- och sjukvården. Korrekt utförande av rutinerna skapar minskad smittspridning som ska minska VRI som idag är den främsta orsaken till skada inom hälso- och sjukvården. VRI leder till ett ökat lidande för patienten, förlängd vårdtid och stora kostnader. En av sjuksköterskans uppgifter är att förebygga sjukdom genom att exempelvis tillämpa handhygien. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att belysa vilka faktorer som orsakar bristande följsamhet av handhygien hos sjuksköterskor. Metod: Examensarbetet är en litteraturöversikt med kvantitativt och kvalitativt ansats. Tolv vetenskapliga artiklar har analyserats. Fokus på analysen av artiklarna ligger till grund i en analys på fem steg. Resultat: Resultatet visar olika faktorer som leder till bristande följsamhet av handhygien. Personliga faktorer kan sjuksköterskan påverka, som sin attityd, sin kunskap och sin roll som förebild. Organisatoriska faktorer däremot, som hinder i vårdmiljön, kontinuerlig utbildning och brist på tid är svårare för sjuksköterskan att förändra. Slutsats: Olika faktorer påverkar sjuksköterskans följsamhet av handhygienrutiner. Idag förekommer VRI i stor utsträckning och det krävs en förståelse från sjuksköterskan angående dessa faktorer för att förbättra det preventiva arbetet mot VRI. / Background: Swedish basal hygiene routines are an important and essential part of the healthcare. Correct execution of the routines creates a decline in proliferation of contagions which will shrink the number of HAI which today is the foremost reason of damage in the healthcare. HAI leads to an increase of suffering for the patient, extended nursing time and costs. The nurses primary task is to prevent disease through the usage of hand hygiene. Aim: Factors causing lack of hand hygiene among nurses. Method: A descriptive literature review with results from 12 scientific articles. Articles were analysed with a five-stage model. Results: This bachelor thesis result displays different factors which contributes to deficient use of hand hygiene. The nurse can affect the personal factors, like their attitude, knowledge and their ideal to be a role model. However organizational factors like hindrance in the healthcare environment, lack of continuous education and time constraints are harder for the nurse to affect. Conclusion: Different factors are causing lack of hand hygiene among nurses. Today HAI occurs at a large scale and its demands certain understanding from the nurse regarding these factors in order to improve preventive work against HAI.

Bakgrund: Uppkomsten av vårdrelaterade infektioner (VRI) är ett globalt problem. Den vanligaste smittvägen är via personalens händer. Bra handhygien är väsentligt för att minska VRI. Med bättre följsamhet till handhygien kan uppkomsten av VRI minskas, därför har forskning om följsamhet till handhygien och faktorer som inverkar, stort betydelse. Syfte: Syftet var att sammanställa och beskriva aktuell forskning om sjuksköterskors följsamhet till handhygien och vilka faktorer främjar respektive hindrar följsamheten till handhygien. Metod: En litteraturöversikt som baserades på artiklar publicerade de senaste fem åren, från länder som följer Världshälsoorganisationens (WHO) handhygieniska riktlinjer. Sexton artiklar valdes efter kvalitetsgranskning för analys och beskrivning. Artiklarna bearbetades med innehållsanalys. Resultat: Sjuksköterskors följsamhet till handhygien var låg. Följande främjande faktorer identifierades: handhygien efter patientkontakt, materialtillgång, förebilder, utbildning, verbala och visuella påminnelser, positiva individuella attityder, kvinnlig könstillhörighet, yrkesgrupp, specialitet, patientens skydd, arbetskultur och samhällets inställning till handhygien. Följande hindrande faktorer identifierades: hög arbetsbelastning, bristande utbildning, kunskapsbrist, individuella attityder, hudpåverkan, materialtillgång, arbetskultur och samhällets inställning till handhygien, manlig könstillhörighet, yrkesgrupp, specialitet. Slutsats: Enligt resultat rekommenderas: samspelet med kollegor och patienter, stöd av teamarbete ledare, förebilder, materialtillgång, utbildning, påminnelser, intervention med tillgång till information, stöd, resurser och möjligheter för regelbunden kunskapsuppföljning, motivera till handhygien före patientkontakt, involvera patienter. / Background: The emergence of healthcare-associated infections (VRI) is a global problem. The most common route of transmission is via the staff's hands. Good hand hygiene is essential for reducing VRI. With better adherence to hand hygiene, the emergence of VRI is reduced, therefore, research on adherence to hand hygiene and factors affecting, big importance. Aim: The aim was to compile and describe current research on nurses ' adherence to hand hygiene and what factors promote or hinder the adherence to hand hygiene. Method: A literature review based on articles published in the last five years, from countries that follow the World Health Organisation (WHO) hand hygiene guidelines. Sixteen articles were selected for quality review of analysis and description. The items were processed with content analysis. Results: nurses ' adherence to handhygiene was low. Promoting factors was handhygiene after patient contact, materials access, role models, training, verbal and visual reminders, positive individual attitudes, gender, profession, specialty, patient protection, work culture and society's attitudes to handhygiene. Limiting factors: high workload, lack of education, lack of knowledge, individual attitudes, skin effects, materials access, work culture and society's attitudes to handhygiene, sex, profession, specialty. Conclusion: According to the results is folowing recommended : the interaction with colleagues and patients, support of team work leaders, role models, materials access, education, reminders, intervention with access to information, support, resources and opportunities for regular knowledge track, justify to handhygiene prior to patient contact, involve patients.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are a problem in health care worldwide. In Sweden 7-8% of all patients treated in hospital suffer from an adverse event of varying severity, of which approximately 60,000 from a HAI. Proper hand hygiene is considered the single most important measure to reduce HAI. Despite the importance, adherence to correct hand hygiene routines are lacking among healthcare workers (HCWs). The World Health Organizations (WHO) multimodal promotion strategy promotes areas that need to be addressed in order to change the behaviour of individual HCWs to optimise adherence to hand hygiene and to improve patient safety. These areas include feedback, education, reminders at the workplace and institutional safety climate.  The overall aim of this study was to examine the possibility of adherence to hand hygiene routines and to explore factors that might influence the HCWs adherence.  The study used a descriptive research design made through qualitative method, with focus group interviews, and quantitative method, using a questionnaire survey. Eight focus group interviews were conducted with assistant nurses (n=18), nurses (n=15) and physicians (n=5) and analysed with abductive qualitative content analysis. The questionnaire survey was answered by nurses (n=84) and nursing students in their first semester (n=71) and last semester (n=46) and the data was statistically analysed. The main findings show that there are barriers to hand hygiene adherence and measures to improve these. HCWs highlighted discrepancies regarding how the organisation was supposed to give feedback and how it actually was at the workplace and expressed needs for more direct feedback to improve adherence. The study also found that hygienic knowledge gaps exists among nurses and nursing students regarding causes of HAI and how the risk of contamination of patients and HCWs can be minimized among others. Students at the beginning of the education had a lower level of knowledge than last semester students and registered nurses. The last semester students tended to have the highest level of hand hygiene knowledge.  In conclusion, the key areas presented by WHO’s multimodal promotion strategy to improve adherence all lack the appropriate measures, in some extent. The use of an electronic reminder system could give the means to improve a behaviour as long as the individual integrity is protected and development of curriculums for nursing students and continuing education of nurses is needed to further develop and maintaining knowledge.

Background: A healthcare associated infection (HCAI) is an infection which is acquired from any healthcare establishment or context. In Sweden, one HCAI costs 107 000 SEK for the Swedish healthcare, but 50 percent of those are avoidable. The two most common HCAI are surgical site infections and urinary tract infections. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe patients experiences of suffering from healthcare associated infections. Method: The study was literature-based. Eight qualitative articles from the year 2010 to 2022 were included in the result. The articles needed to be based on describing the patients experience or perspective of suffering from a healthcare associated infection. Infections who were acquired from society were excluded. Results: The analysis of the articles resulted in three main themes and was then divided into two subthemes each. Main theme ”healthcare is failing” describes patients experienced lack of information and lack of trust in the healthcare professionals. “Physical exertion” was described as aches and pains, as well as physical limitation. “Psychological suffering” described patients experience of negative emotions and deteriorating social relationships.  Conclusion: HCAI showed substantial consequences for the patients, from distrust of the healthcare system, to suffering within emotional aspects as well as physical aspects due to pain and physical limitations. For practical implications, the authors are of the opinion that distinct information is essential to enable patients' participation in their healthcare.

No / There is an ongoing debate about the reasons for and factors contributing to healthcare-associated infection (HAI). Different solutions have been proposed over time to control the spread of HAI, with more focus on hand hygiene than on other aspects such as preventing the aerial dissemination of bacteria. Yet, it emerges that there is a need for a more pluralistic approach to infection control; one that reflects the complexity of the systems associated with HAI and involves multidisciplinary teams including hospital doctors, infection control nurses, microbiologists, architects, and engineers with expertise in building design and facilities management. This study reviews the knowledge base on the role that environmental contamination plays in the transmission of HAI, with the aim of raising awareness regarding infection control issues that are frequently overlooked. From the discussion presented in the study, it is clear that many unknowns persist regarding aerial dissemination of bacteria, and its control via cleaning and disinfection of the clinical environment. There is a paucity of good-quality epidemiological data, making it difficult for healthcare authorities to develop evidence-based policies. Consequently, there is a strong need for carefully designed studies to determine the impact of environmental contamination on the spread of HAI.

Bakgrunn: Kontroll og overvåking av institusjonservervede infeksjoner (sykehusinfeksjoner) ble regulert i lov og forskrift i 1996. Helseinstitusjoner ble pålagt å ha infeksjonskontrollprogram. Hensikt: Å beskrive i hvilken utstrekning sykehjem i Akerhus fylke fulgte lovverket med å ha infeksjonskontrollprogram, inkludert infeksjonsforebyggende- og overvåkende tiltak. Metode: To tverrsnittsundersøkelser ble gjennomført i sykehjem i Akershus fylke i 2001 og 2005. En spørreundersøkelse ble utformet i 2001 for å kartlegge infeksjonskontrollprogram, inkludert lovverk, retningslinjer, ansattes helse og opplæring. I 2005 ble spørreundersøkelsen utvidet til å inkludere retningslinjer for meticillin resistente Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), isolering, samarbeid med mikrobiolgoisk laboratorie og vaksinering. Spørreskjemaet ble sendt til institusjonssjef ved hvert sykehjem i fylket. I tillegg kontrollerte vi om institusjonene deltok i nasjonale prevalens registreringer og om de hadde erfaring med beboere med MRSA ved å benytte Nasjonale Folkehelseinstitutt sin database. Resultater: Antallet sykehjem som hadde etablert infeksjonskontrollprogram hadde steget fra 24 (48%) i 2001 til 45 (80%) i 2005 (Relativ risiko (RR)=1.6, 95% Konfidens interall (KI): 1.2-2.3). Det var en økning i kjennskap til fylkets lokale infeksjonskontrollprogram (RR=1.5, 95% KI: 1.1-2.1). Institusjonssjef vurderte det svært viktig å ha et infeksjonkontrollprogram (gjennomsnitt=6.2, variasjonsbredde 6.0-6.5 på en skala fra 1 til 7). Konklusjon: Det har vært økende oppmerksomhet på infeksjonskontroll og overvåking i sykehjem i Akershus fylke, Norge. Nasjonalt lovverk og gjentatte nasjonale prevalensregistreringer av institusjonservervede infeksjoner kan ha bidratt til dette / Background:In 1996, regulations regarding control and prevention of healthcare-associated infections in all healthcare institutions were implemented in Norway. It became mandatory for all healthcare facilities to have an infection control program. Objective: To describe to what extent long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in Akershus County have implemented infection control programs including guidelines and surveillance. Methods: A repeated, cross-sectional survey was performed among the LTCFs in Akershus County in 2001 and in 2005. A questionnaire was developed in 2001 investigating infection control programs including regulatory issues, guidelines, occupational health and training. In 2005, the questionnaire was expanded to include additional questions regarding policies and guidelines on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), isolation containment, collaboration with the microbiology laboratory and immunization policies. The questionnaire was sent to the head managing nurse of each LTCF in the county. Additionally, we searched for participation of LTCFs in the national prevalence surveys on healthcare-associated infections and for MRSA positive cases in the databases of Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Results: The number of LTCFs with an infection control program increased from 24 (48%) in 2001 to 45 (80%) in 2005 (Relative risk (RR) =1.6, 95% Confidence interval (CI): 1.2-2.3). There was an increasing knowledge about the county’s infection control program (RR=1.5, 95% CI: 1.1-2.1). The LTCF’s head managing nurses perceived having an infection control program as important (mean=6.2, range 6.0-6.5 on a scale of 1 to 7). Conclusion: There has been an increased attention towards infection control in LTCFs in Akershus County, Norway. National regulations and repeated national prevalence surveys on healthcare-associated infections may have contributed to this improvement. / <p>ISBN 978-91-85721-19-1</p>

Healthcare personnel (HCP) frequently wear gloves when they care for patients in Standard Precautions to prevent contact with potentially infectious blood or body fluids. When HCP use gloves appropriately they reduce the risk of cross-contamination and decrease the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAI). However, if HCP use gloves inappropriately they may inadvertently spread pathogens to patients and the patients’ environment. This study used a descriptive structured observational design to investigate three aspects of HCP glove use in a United States long-term care facility (LTCF). First, the PI examined the degree of inappropriate HCP glove use in a random sample of 76 HCP. Results indicate that the HCP used gloves inappropriately, failing to change gloves 66% of the time when a glove change was indicated. Over 44% of the HCP gloved touch points were defined as contaminated. Second, the PI examined the reliability of a new glove use tool (GUST). Results indicate the GUST is a reliable tool when used by trained observers documenting HCP glove use during toileting and perineal care events in LTCF, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC 2,1) over 0.75 for indicators of inappropriate glove use. Third, exploratory analysis indicated significant differences between inappropriate glove use in females and males. Female HCP had significantly more failed glove changes and contaminated touch points than male HCP in this study (p = 0.003). Future research studies should assess US HCP glove use to provide data needed for development of strategies to improve HCP glove use and reduce HAI.