Simplifying the World Health Organization (WHO) Protocol for Hand Hygiene: Three Steps and 15 Seconds

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study is to investigate that non-inferiority in terms of reduction of bacterial counts will be retained when combining the simpler three-step technique for the use of hand rub with a shorter application time of 15 seconds.

Detailed Description
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The WHO guideline recommends 30 seconds for application of hand rub, however, mean bacterial reduction after 15 seconds of hand rubbing has been recently shown to be non-inferior and shortening application time to 15 seconds has been suggested to improve the frequency of hand hygiene actions in a neonatal care unit. This study is to investigate that non-inferiority in terms of reduction of bacterial counts will be retained when combining the simpler three-step technique for the use of hand rub with a shorter application time of 15 seconds.

Official Title
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Simplifying Hand Hygiene Technique: Six Steps and 30 Seconds Versus Six Steps and 15 Seconds Versus Three Steps and 30 Seconds Versus Three Steps and 15 Seconds

Conditions
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Hand Hygiene

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: Six-step hand hygiene technique with an application time of 30 seconds
* Procedure: Six-step hand hygiene technique with an application time of 15 seconds
* Procedure: Three-step hand hygiene technique with an application time of 30 seconds
* Procedure: Three-step hand hygiene technique with an application time of 15 seconds


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Medical students are eligible for participation Signed informed consent Exclusion Criteria: No signed informed consent

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 31 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: Screening
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: two different hand hygiene techniques (six steps and three steps) and two different application times for hand rub (30 seconds and 15 seconds)
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: 6-step hygiene technique, application time of 30 seconds<br> | Procedure: Six-step hand hygiene technique with an application time of 30 seconds<br>* Six-step hand hygiene technique with an application time of 30 seconds<br>|
| Experimental: 6-step hygiene technique, application time of 15 seconds<br> | Procedure: Six-step hand hygiene technique with an application time of 15 seconds<br>* Six-step hand hygiene technique with an application time of 15 seconds<br>|
| Experimental: 3-step hygiene technique, application time of 30 seconds<br> | Procedure: Three-step hand hygiene technique with an application time of 30 seconds<br>* Three-step hand hygiene technique with an application time of 30 seconds<br>|
| Experimental: 3-step hygiene technique, application time of 15 seconds<br> | Procedure: Three-step hand hygiene technique with an application time of 15 seconds<br>* Three-step hand hygiene technique with an application time of 15 seconds<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change of bacterial counts on hands | Change of bacterial counts on hands as determined by the mean logarithmic reduction in bacterial counts after performance of hand hygiene | 30 minutes | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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reduction of bacterial counts, hand hygiene technique