Effect of Electronic Infrared Tap With Voice Reinforcement on Hand Hygiene Compliance of Healthcare Personnel.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of an electronic infrared tap with voice reinforcement to improve hand hygiene compliance among health care workers.

Method: This pre-post intervention study used an automated electronic infrared tap with voice reinforcement as intervention in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Hand hygiene adherence rates of health care workers were monitored using a video camera.

Results: A total of 2718 hand hygiene events were observed. Baseline rates of hand hygiene (complete or partial adherence rates) were 86.9% in NICU and 81.2% in PICU, that improved to 94.9% for NICU and 92.9% for PICU post-intervention (P=0.001).

Conclusion: Use of an electronic infrared (EIR) tap with voice reinforcement in handwashing stations of NICU and PICU improved hand hygiene compliance among health care workers.