Stakeholders declare May 7 as ‘STOP! Clean Your Hands Day’
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Natalie Hamilton
The Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) and partners are inviting healthcare providers to take part in ‘STOP! Clean Your Hands Day’ May 7.
Through the third annual event, presented in conjunction with Accreditation Canada and the Community and Hospital Infection Control Association-Canada, stakeholders aim to raise the profile and activity level of proper hand hygiene.
Putting the patient safety benefits of appropriate hand-washing in the spotlight is something Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada subscribers strive to do year-round.
Niagara Health System (NHS) is using motion-activated sensors that trigger a broadcasted message asking visitors to clean their hands. NHS embraced the technology to promote hand-cleaning and highlight patients’ and visitors’ roles in helping prevent the spread of infection, patient services vice-president Kim Stephens-Woods earlier told Axiom News.
“Most members of the public appreciate the message and are cleaning their hands when they enter and exit our hospital buildings,” Stephens-Woods says.
NHS installed the kiosk displays with alcohol-based hand sanitizer dispensers in conjunction with other infection prevention and control efforts.
Meanwhile, Brockville General Hospital (BGH) volunteers in eastern Ontario got all hands on deck in the fall of 2011 to promote proper hand hygiene. The Brockville General Volunteer Association (BGVA) extended a challenge to get 1,000 visitors to wash their hands over five days.
“Patient safety is a focus for everyone who provides a service within the hospital,” BGVA co-ordinator Cheryl Marshall told Axiom News.
“That includes the over 350 volunteers who donate thousands of hours to BGH and the people it serves.”
The volunteers succeeded at getting 1,200 people to wash their hands during the challenge.
Proper hand hygiene is considered the best way to prevent the spread of illness and infection.
Click here to access tools and resources to participate in the ‘STOP! Clean Your Hands Day’ event.
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