SIMPLIFY the Hand Hygiene Procedure - Three Steps Versus Six Steps for Performing Hand Hygiene (SIMPLIFY Study)

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Hand Hygiene

• Registration Number: NCT04187040
• Lead Sponsor: University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Brief Summary

Hand hygiene is one of the most important measures to prevent healthcare associated infections. A hand hygiene technique consisting of three steps may be superior to the 6-step technique outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in terms of compliance with both indications and technique. Therefore, the aim of this study is to compare compliance with hand hygiene indications and technique between a 3-step and the 6-step technique for applying hand rub in an international multicenter cluster randomized trial.

Detailed Description

Hand hygiene is one of the most important measures to prevent transmission of pathogens between healthcare workers and patients, and ultimately, healthcare-associated infections. However, compliance with both hand hygiene indications and technique (outlining the steps for applying hand rub to ensure coverage of all surfaces of the hands) remains insufficient at most institutions worldwide. It was previously demonstrated that a hand hygiene technique consisting of three steps is superior to the 6-step technique outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in terms of compliance with both indications and technique in a single center study. Furthermore, the 3-step technique was non-inferior regarding microbiological efficacy in two experimental studies and during daily clinical practice. To further investigate the external validity and generalizability of these findings to different settings, this study compares both compliance with hand hygiene indications and technique between the 3-step and the 6-step technique for applying hand rub in an international multicenter cluster randomized trial.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2019-11-12
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-12-03
• Study First Posted: 2019-12-05
• Status Verified: 2025-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-01-09
• Last Update Posted: 2025-01-10
• Study Start: 2025-12
• Primary Completion: 2026-12
• Study Completion: 2026-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

Health Care Workers (HCW) working at the randomized wards during the pre-defined timeframe

Exclusion Criteria

Individuals, who are no HCWs

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Compliance with hand hygiene indications	Up to one year	Compliance with the five hand hygiene indications defined by the WHO: * before touching a patient; * before clean/aseptic procedures; * after body fluid exposure risk; * after touching a patient; * after touching patient surroundings
Compliance with the assigned hand hygiene technique	Up to one year	Compliance with the assigned technique, defined as performance of the proposed three steps in the intervention group and of all six steps in the control group.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Duration of the hand hygiene action	Up to one year	Duration of the hand hygiene action, the time spent for the application of hand rub will be measured and compared between the two assignments.
Compliance with performance of the two steps for applying hand rub to the thumbs and the fingertips	Up to one year	Compliance with performance of the two steps for applying hand rub to the thumbs and the fingertips, which are part of both the 3-step and the 6-step technique for applying hand rub.