Wairarapa Hospital nails clean-hand test

Wairarapa Hospital workers are keeping their hands clean.

Latest results from a nationwide hand hygiene audit show a compliance rate of 79.2 per cent.

South Canterbury DHB was top of the table at 84.3 per cent. Hutt Valley DHB ranked last at 66.3 per cent.

Trained hand-washing auditors watched health workers, checking that they follow strict hand hygiene actions for five "moments" - the key times they should wash their hands.

The key times are before touching a patient, before carrying out aseptic tasks like dressing a wound, after exposure to body fluids, and after contact with a patient and their surroundings.

Auditors found out of 200 "moments" monitored in Wairarapa, 159 were correct.

Inappropriate use of non-sterile gloves was identified as a key cause of missed hand hygiene opportunities.

When workers wore gloves, they were more likely to not carry out hand hygiene "moments" due to continuous wearing of gloves.

The Health Quality and Safety Commission is aiming for a rate of 80 per cent by the end of June.