Give Me 5 - Hand hygiene

Nosocomial infections are a challenge to all Public Health systems, as they represent a fairly heterogeneous group of different conditions in terms of microbiologic, physiological and epidemiological aspects, having a major impact on healthcare costs (average increase of length of stay in hospital of 5 days) and acting as indicators of the quality of care provided to hospitalized patients.

Among the international objectives for patient safety listed by Joint Commission International - to which Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital (OPBG) is accredited - "Reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections " is clearly mentioned, together with the need to "ensure a proper hand hygiene through the adoption of policies and procedures for the implementation of current guidelines on hand hygiene that are commonly accepted and published in the literature", which is described as a key factor to the elimination of the risk of nosocomial infections.

The aim of this programme is to train healthcare workers on the importance of the good practice of hand hygiene, on how it is properly performed and on the observance of occasions, including the correct use of sterile gloves for the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections.

In order to improve the efficacy of the training programme, contents are presented in different ways; the most appropriate means to convey the training message being identified on a case-by-case basis: the "theoretical" part of the course is developed through the illustrated text method; hygiene procedures are explained through audio-commented videos, text and explanatory drawings; assessment and revision parts are based on simulations and role-plays (having their own training value).