The role of managers in promoting good hand hygiene in a Finnish tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Background: Hospital managers play an essential role in implementing strategies to promote good hand hygiene (HH) among health care workers. We investigated the managers' views on their roles, challenges and developmental ideas in promoting good HH practice.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study with an online survey of both medical and nursing managers was conducted within a single tertiary care hospital in Finland. Three open-ended questions were analyzed using inductive content analysis.

Results: A total of 78 managers out of 168 responded to the survey (response rate 46%). Managers helped promote HH practices by enabling the proper environment for adherence to good HH, visible commitment, and using various means to instruct staff about HH. Challenges included the acute hospital setting and practical problems related to the managers' numerous responsibilities. Developmental ideas included information communication technology applications for monitoring HH as an indicator of the quality of care, versatile responses to HH audits, and clarifying the roles of different management levels.

Conclusions: Managers are committed to and use various methods to promote HH. Managers would benefit from information communication technology applications to provide easy and targeted information regarding compliance with HH.

Keywords: Inductive content analysis; Managerial role; Quality of care and patient safety; Survey.