Established in 1986, International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW) celebrates Infection Preventionists and aims to assist in decreasing the spread of infection in healthcare facilities. This year’s theme is “Celebrating the Fundamentals of Infection Prevention” with a goal to return to the basics of infection prevention.
The Basics
Understanding the basics of infection prevention begins with hand hygiene. Cleaning hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer can make a huge difference in infection prevention. According to the World Health Organization, “Appropriate hand hygiene prevents up to 50% of avoidable infections acquired during healthcare delivery, including those affecting the health work force.”
Improving Hand Hygiene Compliance
Infection Preventionists are working every day to break the chain of infection throughout the continuum of care. One of the best ways to reduce healthcare associated infections (HAIs) is to improve hand hygiene compliance rates. How do you improve hand hygiene compliance rates?
Acceptance + Compliance = Lower HAIs
If healthcare workers like the hand hygiene products available to them, they will use those products and, as a result, help prevent HAIs.
Symmetry Hand Hygiene
Symmetry manufactures products that outperform other hand hygiene lines in overall quality and feel after repeated use. These products are gentle on healthcare workers’ hands, encouraging them to wash and sanitize them frequently.
With Point of Care Tools like lanyards, tray table suction cups, and cart brackets, Symmetry strives to make hand hygiene available throughout the workflow. The Symmetry Hand Hygiene Program also utilizes behavioral science to drive hand hygiene compliance. These unique placards, beacons, and visual lighting cues help draw attention to opportunities for hand hygiene in the moment.
Learn more about the complete program and how Symmetry works with Infection Preventionists to increase hand hygiene compliance and reduce infections in healthcare facilities by contacting your local representative.
Thank you to all the Infection Preventionists who are doing their part to keep healthcare facilities safe for everyone.