Improving hand hygiene compliance for the reduction of nosocomial infections: recommendations for behaviour change in a health care setting

Nosocomial infection rates are highly dependent on hand hygiene compliance within health care facilities. This paper examines the literature concerning elements of effective hand hygiene interventions and relevant behaviour change theory, in addition to current practice surrounding hand hygiene interventions in leading institutions, in order to inform and propose recommendations for the improvement and success of the University Health Network’s current hand hygiene initiative. The results of these literature reviews support the use of the Theory of Planned Behaviour for promoting successful behaviour change in the context of hand hygiene compliance in health care settings. Further, the findings here suggest that the employment of an intervention that is tailored to the specific barriers and facilitators of a given setting, that evokes support from multiple levels within the institution, and one that is multifaceted, will be more likely to achieve sustained improvement in hand hygiene compliance and reduced nosocomial infection rates.