Best practice Archive | L&R Prevent and Protect

Best practice, Hand hygiene

“Hand hygiene is always good news for your patients”

Do good and talk about it: In her “Hygiene Communication Concept”, Claudia James, hygiene-specialist and managing director at HyTrain GmbH, explains how communication can improve hand hygiene compliance of physicians and nursing staff. By voicing hand disinfection staff shapes own hygiene behaviour and at the same time gives patients valuable insights into possibilities to participate in their own healing process. In our interview, the expert describes the background to her findings and gives specific instructions for putting these into practice.

Best practice

Surveillance of intensive care units: a priority for reducing healthcare associated infections

Impaired immune defences, invasive procedures and low compliance to infection prevention measures favour the transmission of pathogens in intensive care units (ICUs). The implementation of surveillance systems helps in identifying possible problems and developing solutions for improving hygiene practice in ICUs.

OR products, Best practice

For effective infection prevention, patients and medical staff need to work together

More than 500 papers authored, more than 300 book contributions and currently 54 patents – these figures represent the research spirit of Prof Axel Kramer. Managing Director of the University of Greifswald Institute for Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, this specialist in hygiene and environmental medicine has been campaigning for years to reduce infection rates following surgery. But how can this be achieved? Professor Kramer has practical ideas.

Hand hygiene, Best practice

Hand disinfection: rub-in time determines effectiveness

Experts are discussing what amount of hand disinfectant should be used, and how long it should be left on for hygienic hand disinfection. According to a new study, the length of time the disinfectant is rubbed in determines its effectiveness. The size of the hands, or the amount used, however, are less significant.

Best practice

Norovirus in nursing homes: “Raise awareness of effective hygiene measures”

Every year, noroviruses pose considerable challenges to the staff of medical and long-term care facilities, particularly in the months from October to April. Statistics from reporting systems show that children under the age of five and adults over the age of 70 are the most affected. Olaf Stolz is a freelance hygiene specialist and advises care facilities and nursing homes, among others, on hygiene issues. We spoke with him about difficulties as well as solutions when dealing with noroviruses in nursing homes.

Best practice, Hand hygiene

Hand hygiene: How standardised processes increase compliance

Hand hygiene is widely recognised as the single most effective means of reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAI), such as surgical site infections. Implementing standardised hand disinfection processes in healthcare facilities and maintaining high compliance among healthcare professionals are needed to protect staff and patients from infections.

Best practice, Hand hygiene

“Disregard for hygiene is no longer acceptable“

How can hand hygiene compliance in hospitals be increased? This is one question that Simone Scheithauer addresses in her studies. Scheithauer is head of the Institute for Hospital Hygiene and Infectious Diseases at the University Hospital Göttingen, Germany. In the interview, she reveals reasons for poor compliance, along with effective approaches for better hand hygiene.