HHC - Hand Hygiene Campaign

Last updated on 3-3-2023 by Matijs Houben
Project duration:
January 1, 2005
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Project with no end date

In short

Hand hygiene compliance by healthcare professionals is recognized as the most important factor in preventing the transmission of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) among patients. Sciensano has organized hand hygiene campaigns in Belgian hospitals (in collaboration with other stakeholders) since 2005 in order to raise awareness of good practice among staff, patients and visitors, and to promote the use of hydro-alcoholic solutions on the hands.

Project description

“Use gloves rationally, this is essential!”

This 10th campaign to promote hand hygiene in hospitals will be slightly different from the nine previous editions. The focus will be on the rational use of gloves. During the coronavirus pandemic, gloves were systematically used, even if good practices regarding the use of gloves were sometimes lost sight of. We would therefore like to pay special attention to this topic this year.

Participating hospitals will receive an anonymous knowledge test on the correct use of gloves in daily care: when is the use of sterile or non-sterile gloves appropriate to ensure good hand hygiene? This knowledge test is intended exclusively for healthcare professionals who are in actual contact with patients. The test consists of 20 questions for doctors and 37 questions for non-physicians.

In summary, this 10th campaign is divided into three periods:

  1.  15/01 — 28/02 2023: pre-campaign knowledge test.
  2.  15/02- 30/08 2023: awareness campaign using available tools (posters, badge holders, training, etc.).
  3.  15/09- 15/10 2023: post-campaign knowledge test.

As usual, BAPCOC takes care of the campaign material (poster, powerpoint, E-learning,…).

“You are in good hands”

Every two years, the hand-hygiene campaign focuses on a specific message, taking into account the findings of the previous campaign. The measurement of hand hygiene compliance is coordinated by the hospital hygiene teams of participating hospitals through direct observation, using a standardized grid. The planning of the campaigns takes place over three timeframes:

  1. one month for the pre-campaign observation measurements
  2. one month for the awareness-raising campaign
  3. one month for post-campaign measurements.

Hand hygiene opportunities are measured and the actual hand hygiene times are recorded as follows:

  • hand hygiene with hydro-alcoholic solution
  • hand hygiene with soap and water
  • no hand hygiene.

The measurement used is therefore the number of hand hygiene actions observed divided by the number of hand hygiene opportunities (situations in which hand-hygiene should be performed).

Participating in the hand hygiene campaign as a hospital

In December 2021, Sciensano produced a new on-line model for hospitals in Belgium and Luxembourg, HD4DP 2.0 (‘Healthdata for Data Providers’) to collect individual or aggregate data, with the possibility of generating feedback in real time. This software is installed in the hospital and is accessible via web browser.

HD4DP 2.0 was designed to facilitate continuous hand hygiene measurement locally and independently of national campaigns.

This means you can use this application either in the context of national hand-hygiene campaigns as well as independently for your own local use.

The application provides real-time feedback on your individual local data.

This will enable you to track your own hand-hygiene compliance data.

You will also be able to compare your performance with the national average published in the National Hand Hygiene Campaign Report.

The campaign materials for the awareness-raising phase are automatically sent to hospitals that sign up to participate in the national campaign. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us by Mail. You can also download all the materials from the Hand Hygiene website.

Sciensano's project investigator(s):

Associated Health Topics

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