Authors (including presenting author) :
Chan MY(1), Lee KY(1), Fu YM(1), Lee B(1), Cheung SC(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital
Keyword 1: :
Promote Parent Hand Hygiene in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Introduction :
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization or infection in neonates is associated with significant illness and high mortality. Neonates in NICU are especially at risk due to immature immunity, multiple invasive procedures, prolonged hospitalization, and frequent contact with different care providers. Parental involvement is essential for family-centered care in the health and well-being of infants, yet parent hand hygiene (HH) education and monitoring are limited in NICU. Improper HH practices by parents were observed, such as incomplete coverage of hand areas and insufficient duration. To address this, our unit implemented a structured early intervention program to promote proper parental HH in NICU.
Objectives :
To develop interventions to promote parent HH practices in NICU and to assess the effectiveness of interventions on parent HH practices.
Methodology :
The pilot program was implemented in NICU, PMH from June 2020 to March 2021 using a single group pre-test-post-test design. An early educational-behavioural intervention was provided to parents upon their infant’s admission to NICU. The intervention included an education pamphlet to guide when and how to perform proper HH during infant care, visual cues, skill learning, demonstration and return demonstration of HH with the support of nurses. Direct observational audits (7 steps of HH technique from Centre for Health Protection) were conducted for assessing pre- and post-education HH practices of parents. By using self-reported pre-and post- questionnaires, the impact of strategies and education program on parent HH were evaluated for parents’ perception and feedback regarding the program.
Result & Outcome :
A total of fourteen parents participated, completing HH assessment and returning both pre- and post-test questionnaires. Before education, average parent HH practices were below 50%, but rose to 100% after education. Strong agreement with the importance of proper HH increased from 78% before education to 100% afterwards. Similarly, knowledge of when to perform HH went from 71% pre-education to 100% post-education, and understanding of the steps involved improved from 57% to 100%. Confidence in performing proper HH grew from 78% before education to 100% after. Feedback was unanimously positive regarding the program’s design and delivery; parents reported improvements in their HH practices and greater confidence when caring for their infants. They also agreed that the program was valuable for encouraging parental involvement in HH practice within NICU. The implementation of proper HH remains the most effective way to prevent the risk of hospital-acquired infections among those providing direct patient care.
