Conditions: Hand Hygiene Effectiveness
Keywords: antimicrobial efficacy hand hygiene bacteria
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Enrollment: 51
Healthy volunteers: yes

Brief summary:
This study will evaluate the immediate antimicrobial efficacy and persistence of two hand hygiene products on ICU Health Care Worker's skin flora by measuring bacterial organisms on hands using the hand print method. It is hypothesized that the product containing Chlorhexidine gluconate will provide more persistence than the alcohol product, resulting in less bacterial growth on the hand print plates. In addition, environmental monitoring for cleanliness will be captured from high touch surfaces in ICU patient rooms and common areas using Rodac plates and adenosine triphosphate tests.

Detailed description:
Crossover study with 50 Health care workers using each product with a minimum of 3 days in between. Products will be applied twice as per manufacturer's instructions for a Healthcare Personnel Handwash followed by immediate hand print. Persistent hand prints will be collected after exposure to environmental contaminants in the common areas. Hand prints will also be collected from one hand of 60 patients cared for by a participating Health Care Worker and gloved hand of Health Care Worker. All media contain neutralizers to inactivate active ingredients in each product and on surfaces. Each hand print plate's area of growth will be measured for Colony Forming Units using computerized software.

Arms:
arm 1: Alcohol foam hand sanitizer applied with 1 pump into hands, spread over hands up to the wrist and rubbed until dry. Foam will be applied twice approximately 15-30 minutes apart on one day. arm 2: Hand antiseptic is applied by dispensing 1 pump into hands, spreading over the hands up to the wrist, and rubbing until dry. Hand antiseptic will be used twice approximately 15-30 minutes apart on one day.

Interventions: intervention 1: hand antiseptic with CHG and alcohol intervention 2: Alcohol hand sanitizer foam
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: HCWs will be randomized to use one product on one day and the other product on another day at least 3 days apart. Each product will be applied using 1 pump from its dispenser and rubbed over the hands until dry. Gloves will be worn while the HCW is in the patient room. Upon exit from the room, HCW will washoout with that same product. One imprint will be made of the non-dominant hand onto media containing neutralizers. That hand will be gloved with a white cotton glove. The HCW will work in the common areas with timing recorded. Upon leaving the common area, the dominant ungloved hand will be imprinted onto a fresh media plate containing neutralizers. intervention 2: Alcohol foam hand sanitizer applied with 1 pump into hands, spread over hands up to the wrist and rubbed until dry. Foam will be applied twice approximately 15-30 minutes apart on one day

Protocol document: