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Importance of Hand Hygiene
Why should hand hygiene be a priority in Ontario hospitals? Proper hand hygiene will protect patients and health care providers, reduce the spread of infections and the costs associated with treating infections, reduce hospital lengths of stay and readmissions, reduce wait times, and prevent deaths.
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In Canada, about 250,000 people-or one out of every nine patients admitted to hospital each year-pick up infections while being treated for something else.
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Every year, more than 8,000 patients die from those infections.
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Most health care settings report less than 50 per cent adherence to hand hygiene.
Proper hand hygiene with the use of alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water by health care providers to clean their hands-is the most effective ways of preventing health care associated infections(MOHLTC, 2007).
To help win the “War on Germs”, always practice good hand hygiene.
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6 Steps for Proper Handwashing
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About the Program
Mission Statement:
To promote a safe and healthy environment by preventing the transmission of infectious agents among patients, staff and visitors.
Goals:
- Grey Bruce Health Services Board of Directors has signaled its strong support for infection control through one of the seven Strategic Goals in the organization’s corporate Strategic Plan: “Grey Bruce Health Services will strive to create a culture of safety for both patients and our staff”
- Providing ongoing education to staff, patients and visitors using evidence based information
- Strive for continuous improvement in prevention of ‘Hospital Acquired Infections’
Since the approval of the current Strategic Plan in 2003, several annual initiatives have been undertaken in support of this Strategic Goal;
- The introduction of corporate-wide patient safety walkabouts
- Installation of hand sanitation devices in patients rooms and throughout the corporation
- Infection control information which is available in all patient rooms
- Participation in Safer Healthcare Now initiatives
- Increased emphasis on environmental cleanliness standards
Public Reporting General Messaging
On September 26, 2008, all Ontario hospitals will be required to report publicly on their rates and number of new hospital-acquired C. difficle cases. Hospitals will also be required to report on a variety of other patient safety indicators in the months ahead, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE). The Ministry of Health will also report the same information on its own website, at www.ontario.ca/patientsafety.
More information is available here.
Outbreak Reporting to the Public
There are currently no outbreaks.
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Tracking Infection Rates at GBHS/Accountability to our Patients
Tracking infection rates in the hospital is done by the Infection Prevention and Control Team. This information is used to improve infection control practices throughout the corporation. Here you can find information about hospital acquired infection rates for:
- MRSA Bacteremia
- VRE Bacteremia
- C. difficile
How are Infection Rates Calculated?
Infectious diseases can be calculated as rate per 1000 patient days: the total number of new cases of any infection each month divided by the patient days each month multiplied by 1000.
The C. difficile rate is calculated as follows:
Number of new hospital-acquired cases of C. difficile associated disease (CDAD) associated with the reporting facility ÷ number of patient days X 1000 = rate of nosocomial cases of CDAD per 1000 patient days.
MRSA and VRE bacteraemias are reported quarterly and are calculated as the number of MRSA bacteraemias/VRE bacteraemias, divided by the number of patient days x 1000.
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Indicator |
Reporting Period |
Rates per Site |
Corporate Cumulative
Totals |
Clostridium Difficile Associated Disease
(CDAD) |
January 2010 |
Click to enlarge
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MRSA Bacteraemia |
Oct., Nov., Dec., 2009 |
Click to enlarge
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VRE Bacteraemia |
Oct., Nov., Dec., 2009 |
Click to enlarge
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Indicator |
Reporting Period |
Rates - Owen Sound Site |
Central Line Primary Blood Stream Infection (CLI) |
October - December 2009 |
Rate per 1000 central line days = 3.39 %
1 case
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Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) |
October - December 2009 |
Rate per 1000 ventilator days = 4.61 %
1 case
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Surgical Site Infection Prevention (SSI) |
October - December 2009 |
Percentage of patients receiving antibiotic
administration
within appropriate time prior to surgery
Owen Sound site 100%
Markdale 100%
Meaford 100%
N/A for all other sites
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Indicator |
Reporting Period |
Rates per Site |
Hand Hygiene Compliance |
Jan - Mar 2009 |
Owen Sound
The hand hygiene compliance percentage before initial patient/patient environment contact by combined health care provider 59%
The hand hygiene compliance percentage after patient/patient environment contact by combined health care provider 73%
Lions Head
The hand hygiene compliance percentage before initial patient/patient environment contact by combined health care provider 40%
The hand hygiene compliance percentage after patient/patient environment contact by combined health care provider 62%
Markdale
The hand hygiene compliance percentage before initial patient/patient environment contact by combined health care provider 35%
The hand hygiene compliance percentage after patient/patient environment contact by combined health care provider 55%
Meaford
Hand washing compliance before patient/patient environment contact is 22%
Hand washing compliance after patient/patient environment contact is 41%
Southampton
The hand hygiene compliance percentage before initial patient/patient environment contact by combined health care provider 32%
The hand hygiene compliance percentage after patient/patient environment contact by combined health care provider 41%
Wiarton
The hand hygiene compliance percentage before initial patient/patient environment contact by combined health care provider 29%
The hand hygiene compliance percentage after patient/patient environment contact by combined health care provider 53% |
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Information for Patients and Visitors - Fact Sheets
- What is MRSA?
Staphylococcus aureus is a germ that lives on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy people. Occasionally S. aureus can cause an infection. When S. aureus develops resistance to certain antibiotics, it is called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.
::MRSA Fact sheet
- What is MRSA Bacteraemia?
Bacteraemia is the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream and is referred to as a bloodstream infection. A MRSA bacteraemia case is a patient identified with laboratory confirmed bloodstream infection with methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A bloodstream infection is a single positive blood culture for MRSA.
- What is VRE?
Enterococci are germs that live in the gastrointestinal tract (bowels) of most individuals and generally do not cause harm (this is termed “colonization”). Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are strains of enterococci that are resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin. If a person has an infection caused by VRE, such as a urinary tract infection or blood infection, it may be more difficult to treat.
::VRE Fact Sheet
- What is VRE Bacteraemia?
Bacteraemia is the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream and is referred to as a bloodstream infection. A VRE bacteraemia case is a patient identified with laboratory confirmed bloodstream infection with vancomycin resistant enterococcus (VRE). A bloodstream infection is a single positive blood culture for VRE.
- What is C.Diff?
Clostridium difficile (also called C. difficile or C. diff.) is a bacterium that can produce a toxin or type of poison that can cause swelling in the intestinal tract. You will usually have symptoms like diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain. The C. diff. bacterium can be found in the bowels of some people without causing disease, and people in good health generally do not get C. difficile disease.
:: C.Diff Fact Sheet
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Patient Visitor Information/pamphlets/videos
Hand hygiene
Cough Etiquette
Routine Practices
‘Routine Practices’ is the system of infection prevention and control practices recommended by the Public Health Agency of Canada to be used with all clients/patients/residents during all care to prevent and control transmission of microorganisms in health care settings.
Additional Precautions are used in conjunction with routine practices when a patient is known to have an infectious agent or disease. When this situation occurs the patient is placed in isolation and additional precautions are taken to prevent the transmission of the particular infectious agent. These precautions are based on the method of transmission (e.g. contact, droplet, airborne). When in the hospital you may see these particular signs posted on patients doors.
Influenza
Pandemic Planning
Hospital Information
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Useful resources on Infection Prevention and Control
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