A New York Times reporter, Tina Rosenberg, brought her attention to the intensive care unit at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York just before this November‘s thanksgiving break, around the 24th. The focus of her article is hand washing and innovations that this particular hospital is taking in order to stress the importance of sanitizing your hands often. Hospitals all over the world are constantly trying to improve their hygiene rate, as the spread of disease in hospitals is very dangerous and often deadly to patients previously admitted. Interestingly many hospitals are already recording hygiene rates on a week to week basis. But North Shore hospital is taking things to a new level with an idea they often call “The Electronic Eye”. Starting earlier this fall the hospital displayed two L.E.D displays on the wall’s across from their nursing stations. The L.E.D is very strict about its recordings of hand washers. The health workers must wash their hands properly within 10 seconds of entering, and also exiting their patient’s room. The L.E.D is a sort of video system that monitors the hand washing.
According to the article this method seems to be the most effective way of trying to improve hand washing in hospitals. Yet the option of an “electronic eye” is rather costly to some hospitals. Others have tried things such as tracking the amounts of alcohol hand gel and hand soap used over periods of time. However this is a rough estimate and can be unrealistic, because the non washer criminals are usually repeat offenders. Some hospitals have also tried something along the lines of a private investigator, where staff members secretly watch their fellow employees and record the progress in the hand washing movement. Unfortunately, this often fails because people argue that it is against their privacy rights at work.
The “electronic eye” has been very successful in upping the rate of hand washing in the ICU unit at this hospital. Recently their weekly hand washing rate has reached 82%. The hospital claims that they are proud of this number, but isn’t it scary that there is still 18% of staff members not washing their hands before and after working with patients in critical condition? Rosenberg herself wrote “ Hospitals do impossible things like heart surgery on a fetus, but they are apparently stymied by the task of getting health care workers to wash their hands…ICU’s, where health care workers are the most harried, usually have the lowest rates.” Patients are at much higher risk in an ICU for infection which makes there hand washing passing rate of about 40% scary.
Earlier this year, we focused on the movement to increase hand washing rates in the United States. Not washing your hand is actually one of the easiest ways to spread germs. We learned that there are germs everywhere and on everything that we touch. Everything from door handles to faucets to gym equipment. The fact that patients in hospitals and specifically ICU’s are at highest risk for disease is scary because many of their caretakers are not washing their hands. Most people understand that the concept of hand washing can prevent the spread of disease. But what some are naïve to is the proper way of hand washing, and when not done correctly is not as effective. Soap and water must be used at all time. Rinsing is hardly effective at all. If possible warm water is the best. But how long should we wash? Little reminders have been made up such as singing “happy birthday” twice while washing. Some opt for the use of sanitizing gels instead, but when using these you must make sure that the gel has not expired and has a high alcohol content in order to kill germs. However the old fashioned way of soap and water is really the most effective. Interestingly, the article I researched is focused in a New York hospital, and we learned earlier this year that New York was the dirtiest location when it came to hand washing surveys.
The reporter of the article seems to be in support of the idea of the “electronic eye” to promote hand washing and she stresses its importance in keeping everyone healthy. I completely agree. Some argue it is an invasion of privacy, but I would argue that it is necessary in saving lives of patients. Specifically in the ICU, which the article focused on. The only thing concerning me, and something that I might ask is how costly exactly are these devices and will every medical facility be able to afford them some how? I think it is a possibility that after the device has done its job and reached hundred percent washing rates, that potentially it could be removed and put in another location, hoping that the message was stressed enough. However for the most part I think it is a great concept and a move in the right direction.
Hand washing is definitely something that doesn't cross the minds of many as a significant way germs can be spread. The whole idea of the L.E.D video system which monitors the hand washing of people in the hospital does seem like a good way to make sure the hygiene at the hospital rises or at least stays at a high rate. It could, however, be seen as a violation of privation to the people who do take the time to wash their hands. It also seems kind of sad to me that our hospitals need to have a machine monitor whether people wash their hands for the appropriate amount of time, or even at all, in a time period where hygiene is so important.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this post, I was left perplexed as to how hospital workers are able to disregard something as critical as their hygiene when patient's lives are in their hands. Do they simply forget or misunderstand the principles of proper hand washing? Or do they knowingly neglect hand washing as a convenience for themselves? Either way, I agree with Christine in that many people may view the L.E.D video system as invasive of one's privacy. However, I strongly believe that the L.E.D video system is worth the uproar if it prevents even one disease or illness being spread to an innocent hospital patient. Moreover, I was appalled that the hospital was "happy" with an 82% hand washing rate. As an outsider, I am disgusted with that number and believe it should be much higher. If I was an overseer of the hospital, I would make sure that number rose and remained at a much higher percentage. Another factor hospitals must consider is that it is not only hospital workers not washing their hands, but many patients do not wash their hands either. Although the hospitals can not do too much about the hand washing habits of their patients, I think they should make an effort to stress the importance of hand washing to them. Finally, if the hospital is unable to reach a higher hand washing percentage of employees, I wonder if they would consider keeping it at a colder temperature, which would prevent an excess growth of bacteria.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading this article, the first thing that came to my mind was our hand-washing survey that we conducted at the beginning of the year. Lindsey and I observed people in the restroom of the North Shore mall and were appalled by the number of people who don’t wash their hands. In a hospital washing your hands is clearly a necessity and I think it is crazy that 18 percent of workers aren’t washing their hands. Therefore, I agree and think the L.E.D. is a great idea. Although, some may think it is an invasion of privacy, the possibility of saving a patient’s life is far more significant than privacy. Like Lindsey, I am curious to find out the price of this device and think it is a step in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteLike Jessica, as soon as I started reading Lindsey’s blog the first thing I thought about was our hand washing survey we conducted at the start of the school year. With that said, I was not too surprised by the lack of hand washing in hospitals. Although it is sad that 18% of staff members still are not washing their hands before or after working with patients, it is not unbelievable to me since I’ve observed peoples’ hand washing behaviors in other places. Therefore, it seems like the L.E.D. displays are necessary in order to make people wash their hands, especially if it can prevent even one disease or illness being spread to an innocent hospital patient like Andrea said. If a staff member doesn’t wash their hands in that first 10 seconds and the L.E.D. detects it, then what happens? Aside from that, I think the reason they started putting these in hospitals in New York was because studies showed that they were one of the dirtiest locations, meaning they were in need of improvement.
ReplyDeleteI agree exactly with what you said at the end of your blog. I think once the message is clear and the hand washing rate has improved, it would be interesting to see if another hospital could use the equipment to make a statement. It has a great message and proves a great point, but how costly will be it be, and how many hospitals can actually afford it?
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