Hand hygiene is still not sufficiently and consistently implemented. One possible reason is that medical personnel do not seem to be aware of how often they touch patients, and the surfaces inside and outside of the patient's environment. Such contacts can transmit microorganisms and create potential risks of infection.
In a stressful working day, healthcare professionals might forget to clean their hands every time it is necessary. By encouraging patients to remind nurses and doctors of their hand hygiene, compliance rates increase, which results in a decrease in infection rates. Although campaigns such as these may initially seem intimidating, they are bringing about a positive cultural change.
Before any surgery, there must be trust: Trust in the expertise and experience of doctors and OR staff, but also in the hospital's hygiene standards. Because even in routine procedures, wound infections - which can be avoided – unfortunately continue to occur.
