Hand Hygiene Before Non-sterile Glove Use

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The importance of healthcare worker hand hygiene in decreasing bacterial transmission between patients is well documented. Healthcare workers may don non-sterile gloves in routine care of patients, particularly for those patients known or suspected to harbor epidemiologically important microorganisms. Governing bodies currently recommend performing hand hygiene prior to donning gloves and after glove removal. The importance of hand hygiene post glove removal is well shown, however few studies exist to show utility of hand hygiene prior to donning gloves. In fact, data suggests that glove use is an impediment to hand hygiene and may reduce compliance with hand washing. In light of this and the fact that no evidence exists that washing hands BEFORE glove use is important, the aim of the study is to asses the utility of routine hand hygiene prior to donning non-sterile gloves before a patient contact.

Official Title
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The Utility of Hand Hygiene Before Non-sterile Glove Use

Conditions
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Hand Hygiene

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Hand Hygiene before Donning Non-sterile Gloves


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Healthcare worker engaging in direct patient contact on Contact Precautions (e.g. expected glove use) >= 18 years of age Exclusion Criteria: Visibly soiled hands requiring hand washing (cannot randomize) Non-compliance with glove use as indicated for care of patient on Contact Precautions

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Donning Gloves without Hand Hygiene<br>In this arm, healthcare workers will be assigned to don non-sterile gloves prior to patient contact WITHOUT first performing hand hygiene. Samples will be obtained from hands prior to donning gloves and from the gloves after donning to determine total aerobic colony counts and to identify important hospital pathogens | Behavioral: Hand Hygiene before Donning Non-sterile Gloves<br>* In the No Intervention arm, healthcare workers will be assigned to first perform hand hygiene before donning non-sterile gloves prior to patient contact (usual practice). Samples will be obtained from hands prior to donning gloves and from the gloves after donning to determine total aerobic colony counts and to identify important hospital pathogens In the Experimental arm, they will be instructed to don gloves without washing their hands as described.<br>|
| No Intervention: Hand Hygiene before donning Non-Sterile Gloves<br>In this arm, healthcare workers will be assigned to first perform hand hygiene before donning non-sterile gloves prior to patient contact (This is usual,expected practice). Samples will be obtained from hands prior to donning gloves and from the gloves after donning to determine total aerobic colony counts and to identify important hospital pathogens | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Difference in Total Aerobic Colony Counts | The Difference in Total Aerobic Colony Counts from hands at baseline (Group 1, prior to Hand Hygiene; Group 2, prior to donning gloves) to gloves after donning | The total time of participation from the healthcare worker will be approximately 2-3 minutes, the time needed to perform hand hygiene and don gloves (group 1) or don gloves (group 2). | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pathogen Identification | Gloves will be sampled from both groups after donning and evaluation for important hospital pathogens will be performed | The total time of participation from the healthcare worker will be approximately 2-3 minutes, the time needed to perform hand hygiene and don gloves (group 1) or don gloves (group 2). | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Hand Hygiene, Non-sterile Glove Use