Articles Tagged With: handwashing
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The Short, Unhappy Life of Ignaz Semmelweis
Ignaz Semmelweis, the 19th century Hungarian obstetrician who made the lifesaving connection between unwashed hands and patient infections, is widely known to have had his findings soundly rejected by his physician peers. But that is only part of the story.
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Handwashing Compliance Often Not as Good as Leaders Hope
Hand hygiene is fundamental to patient safety. But for many healthcare organizations, maintaining compliance with good handwashing practices is a challenge. Compliance seemed to improve at many facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, but some research suggests clinicians are regressing to old habits.
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Establishing a Hand Hygiene Culture of Accountability
A hospital established a “culture of accountability” by identifying and removing barriers to hand hygiene, one of which was the hesitancy to remind coworkers they need to wash their hands.
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Hospital Newborn Center Goes Seven Years Without a Single CLABSI
The rate of central line infections was too high, so leaders assessed policies and procedures, including a special look at specifics like the cleaning products used for central lines. Administrators also educated nurses on how to establish, maintain, and remove central lines, while physicians revised the criteria for what patients could receive them. Staff observe stringent protocols for handwashing and sanitization.