One moment please… actually four
During January and February, health authorities in BC will be communicating to staff and physicians about the 4 Moments of Hand Hygiene with the goal of increasing hand hygiene compliance.
As of December 2015 Vancouver Coastal Health had about 79% compliance overall for hand hygiene according to audits. The provincial target is 85%. Hand hygiene auditors visit client care areas and observe staff. One thing they are watching for is whether staff members practice the 4 Moments of Hand Hygiene:
4 Moments of Hand Hygiene
- Before initial patient/patient environment contact.
- Before aseptic procedure.
- After body fluid exposure risk.
- After patient/patient environment contact.
Our hand hygiene auditors report that the moment for hand hygiene that gets missed the most is number one ‘Before initial patient/patient environment contact’ and so that’s where we could make some gains in compliance, said Sheila Browning, hand hygiene program coordinator.
You can help
Help promote the “4 Moments” by practicing them yourself, reminding others at meetings or rounds and by posting the 4 Moments poster where staff will see it.
- 4 Moments of Hand Hygiene poster
- How To Hand Rub poster (to be posted at sanitizer stations)
- How To Hand Wash poster (to be posted at sinks)
More information
Hand hygiene tools, resources and audit results are posted on VCH Connect.