Question

1. Provide one way in which Didier Pittet’s hand hygiene campaign was ineffective or in which the approach had to be adjusted. Could this have been avoided? If so, how? (Word minimum: 150 words).

Answer 1

One way that the hand hygiene campaign was ineffective was the way in which the solution was distributed. The solution was hung on walls throughout hospitals and would usually end up falling onto the floor. When the solution fell, it would ruin the floor and anger healthcare workers. Pittet could have more preparation to see if the solution would work on various surfaces and could have avoided the problem of the solution ruining the floors.

In addition, there was much hesitation to alcohol being an ingredient in the solutions as alcohol was a typical cause of individual being admitted into the hospital. There was a misunderstanding as to how a substance that could cause harm could also be a way to prevent infections. This misunderstanding could have been avoided if Pittet provided education material on how alcohol worked as an effective antiseptic and disinfectant. This would have encouraged more of the community to stand behind the hand hygiene campaign.