Why this measure is important

Handwashing is the single most important means of preventing infections. Akron Children’s Hospital monitors the appropriate use of handwashing as a means of keeping patients and staff safe and free of nosocomial infections (acquired while the patient is in the hospital and likely transmitted from caregivers to patients and patients to caregivers). 

How we measure

Our staff is evaluated for hand hygiene by direct observation. The denominator is how many opportunities we have to wash our hands with a numerator of how often we comply with our hand hygiene policy. This creates a rate of hand hygiene compliance.

What are we doing to improve?

• Sharing our data with clinical leaders and clinical teams.
• Making hand hygiene opportunities easier for our staff by creating easily accessible hand hygiene stations.
• Using peer coaching to encourage good hand hygiene.
• Posting signage about proper hand hygiene.
• Empowering patient and families to ask us about hand hygiene.