Use of Patient Empowerment Initiative in Promotion of Hand Hygiene among Healthcare Providers

Health care associated infections constitute a serious threat in terms of morbidity and mortality. Globally, 2.5 million people, mostly children die annually in developing countries from nosocomial infections. Their prevention is a necessity, and healthcare providers are one of their main drivers through contaminated hands. Thus, they must be at the fore front in coming up with sustainable preventative strategies. Proper performance of hand hygiene at the five critical moments during patient care is the most important means of preventing health care-associated infections. The purpose of the case study was to assess the knowledge of patients on health care associated infections in relation to poor hand hygiene practices, to measure the understanding of patients on the critical times for hand hygiene during patient care, to explore the perception of patients on their participation in hand hygiene promotion among health care workers and to gain insight of health Care providers views and perception on patients empowerment initiative in hand hygiene promotion. Data was collected through systematic review of peer reviewed publications guided by case study specific objectives. The findings were; majority of health care workers at an average of 67% agreed that hand hygiene is a responsibility of both health care providers and the patients, approximately 50% felt comfortable being reminded by patients to wash their hands. The major reasons for not feeling comfortable by 50% of health care providers were: feeling embarrassed, feeling disobeyed and intimidation. An Average of 60% patients agreed that they should take part in promoting hand hygiene in health centers while 40% felt that it is a responsibility of the health workers. Only 40% felt comfortable in reminding the health care workers to wash their hands while 60% felt uncomfortable and stated the following reasons; lack of courage, fear of not being served well, little knowledge compared to that of a health worker and fear of embarrassment. From the reviewed literature, it is evident that patients are not competent enough to remind health care providers to wash their hands. Health care providers are not comfortable being reminded by the patients to wash their hands. The recommendations are that; since promotion of patient’s safety is paramount to ensure reduction in Health Care Associated Infections The County Health Promotion unit should plan and budget for empowerment of Patients and Caretakers to participate in hand hygiene promotion at the health facilities, The SCHMT to sensitize the health care providers through CMEs and trainings to adapt to reminders by patients to wash their hands and Inclusion of Private health facilities in future studies.