Infection Prevention Manual

0HDVXULQJ 3URGXFW 8VH Measuring the amount of liquid soap, alcohol-based hand rub, and paper towels that health care workers use—and measuring the frequency with which they use these products— is an indirect way of estimating staff adherence to hand hygiene guidelines. &RQGXFWLQJ 6XUYH\V Surveys of health care workers, patients, and family members—conducted in person, over the telephone, or in focus groups—can yield information about perceptions, attitudes, and behavior related to hand hygiene. Deciding how to administer a survey depends on the number of people you plan to reach, where they are located, and the complexity of the sample. Through surveys, health care workers reveal what they know and think about hand hygiene as well as why they adhere (or do not adhere) to guidelines. Surveys can reveal whether health care workers’ perceptions of their own hand hygiene behavior match the perceptions of patients and family members. Using surveys for self-reporting of hand hygiene behavior can be unreliable; health care workers tend to overestimate their adherence to guidelines when questioned and may inaccurately recall their past hand hygiene behavior. (Hand hygiene program field staff survey) Your Agency Name (PN System)