Don't Forget to Wash Your Hands

Good hand hygiene is a recipe for good health, but it must start with a regular hand-washing routine. The inpatient pediatrics team at the South Bay Medical Center scored low in peer observation studies of hand washing, so they set about to make it a regular habit. They hung posters with images of cute kids as reminders, mounted sanitizer dispensers in and outside of patient rooms, and made eye contact with patients to reinforce the habit and build confidence. In nine months, their initiative increased hand-washing success from 61 to 98 percent.

Here's What Worked

• Hanging posters of cute kids as hand-washing reminders
• Installing sanitizer dispensers in and outside of patient rooms
• Making eye contact and talking with patients while washing hands

What can your team do motivate peers to hold each other accountable?