Availability of Hand Sanitization in a District General Hospital

Description

In this presentation, Sai Sirikonda, a third-year medical student at Newcastle University, discusses his research on hand sanitization availability in a district General Hospital. The significance of hand hygiene as a primary measure in preventing hospital-acquired infections is emphasized, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sai shares statistics indicating that approximately 300,000 healthcare-associated infections occur annually, costing the NHS over $1 billion and leading to decreased patient safety and satisfaction.



He details his research methodology, where he initially assessed 264 data points throughout the hospital regarding the availability of functional hand sanitizers, soap dispensers, and towels. Following an initial audit showing that hand sanitizer availability was below the expected 90%, he performed a re-audit after four weeks, which revealed some improvement, with hand sanitizer availability rising from 77.5% to 85%.



The presentation also discusses specific areas of the hospital, noting the significance of maintaining effective hand hygiene standards in critical spaces like theaters. Additionally, Sai acknowledges the variability in hand hygiene product availability and suggests the necessity for continuous monitoring and audits to ensure patient safety. He concludes with recommendations for extending the audit to the entire trust to further enhance hand hygiene practices.

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