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Glow Gel Hand Washing in the Waiting Room: A Novel Approach to Improving Hand Hygiene Education

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Anna B. Fishbein ,
Itza Tellez ,
Henry Lin ,
Christine Sullivan  and
Mary E. Groll
Anna B. Fishbein
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
Itza Tellez
Affiliation:
Department of Interpreting Services, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
Henry Lin
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
Christine Sullivan
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
Mary E. Groll*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
*
Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, Department of Emergency Medicine, 2300 Children's Plaza, Chicago, IL 60614 (mgroll@childrensmemorial.org)
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Abstract

Objectives.

To characterize handwashing behaviors of children and assess the efficacy of a waiting room-based hand hygiene intervention at improving handwashing ability.

Design.

Prospective randomized pilot study.

Setting.

Emergency department waiting room at a freestanding urban pediatric hospital.

Participants.

Children (8–18 years) and their parent.

Intervention.

Participants were randomized to glow gel hand washing without hand hygiene education or glow gel hand washing with hand hygiene education. After participants washed with glow gel, “dirty areas” were illuminated using a black light, and hands were scored. A questionnaire about handwashing behavior was administered. All subjects returned 2–4 weeks after intervention to repeat glow gel hand washing and the questionnaire.

Results.

Sixty pediatric patients and 57 parents were recruited, with 77% of patients returning for follow up. Patients were 50% male, 58% Latino, 28% African American, and 8% Caucasian. At the initial visit, 91% of children reported hand washing after using the bathroom and 78% reported hand washing before dinner. On the basis of objective scoring, all children improved handwashing ability when compared with the initial visit (P = .02) and were more likely to use warm water at follow up (P = .01). Parents did not significantly improve in handwashing ability (P = .73).

Conclusion.

Glow gel hand washing is an effective method to improve children's handwashing ability. This short-term intervention was effective even in the absence of specific hand hygiene education. This intervention could serve as a valuable public health measure to teach hand washing in healthcare settings.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 32 , Issue 7 , July 2011 , pp. 661 - 666
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2011

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