[Improved hand hygiene through simple interventions].

Background: On the basis of new National Guidelines for Hand Hygiene, a project was started in 2004 in a medical ward at Haukeland University Hospital. The aims were to improve the personnel's compliance with hand hygiene guidelines and to transfer from soap hand wash to a disinfectant alcohol-based hand rub.

Material And Methods: Two interventions were implemented: information about hand hygiene and increased availability of alcohol-based hand rub.