Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a well-documented problem worldwide and are a major source of morbidity and mortality globally, and more so in areas such as pediatric acute care. Such infections, which are usually acquired through various healthcare workers’ hands, are a real menace to the lives of patients. Hand hygiene (HH) has been identified by many authors as one of the most effective measures aimed at preventing infections with hospital-acquired infections; however, hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers is still poor. This blog focuses on the factors that affect hand hygiene to minimize HAIs in pediatric care centers from the different research with a focus on the barriers, perceptions, and compliance among healthcare workers, particularly the pediatric residents, with hand hygiene practices.
The Importance of Hand Hygiene in Pediatric Care
Immunocompromised children are more vulnerable to HAIs, especially pediatric intensive care unit clients because they require invasive procedures due to their immune system immaturity. These infections are potentially life-threatening, add to the hospital days, consume more health care resources, and are therefore more costly in outcome. The evidence now shows that washing hands is the single most effective way of reducing the transmission of pathogens within healthcare facilities. Safe hand hygiene therefore helps in drastically decreasing the rate of HAIs and therefore infections that can prove catastrophic to children’s health.
Research has indicated that there is poor compliance with hand hygiene adherence among healthcare workers, including pediatric residents, despite the measure being integral. Some of the reasons include time constraints, workload, and individuals not being aware of the importance of having been trained on how to engage in compliance. Especially in pediatric care settings where the consequences of cross-contamination are potentially so ruinous, hand hygiene must be optimized to protect vulnerable users.
Challenges in Hand Hygiene Compliance
This issue of staff attendance to hand washing obligations has been rated as one of the major areas of high variance when it comes to hand hygiene standard compliance. This is particularly the case in the care of children, in which they may change hands and encounter several different caregivers in pursuit of treatment. Several of the researchers analyzed showed that despite healthcare workers knowing the necessary measures of hand hygiene, there are still gaps between the knowing and the doing.
For instance, one large-scale study compared what the pediatric residents refer to as their self-compliance rates with hand hygiene guidelines to what they believe others in the hospital staff and fellow residents are compliant with. Such a disparity can mean that although the individual healthcare workers know about proper hand hygiene practices and their value, the architecture of the healthcare setting prevents adherence to the standard. Such challenges are: Scooping: These challenges limit the amount of time the healthcare workers can spend washing their hands appropriately and effectively. Poor accessibility: This challenges access to hand hygiene supplies, such as alcohol-based hand rubs, Interrupted work schedule: This challenge interferes with the healthcare worker’s work schedule, thus making them perform other clinical duties than washing their hands.