Scenario-Based Simulation Training for the WHO Hand Hygiene Self-Assessment Framework

The WHO SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands global hand hygiene campaign, launched in 2009 and celebrated annually on May 5, features specific calls to action seeking to increase engagement from stakeholders’ collaborations in hand hygiene improvement. WHO calls on everyone to be inspired by the global movement towards universal health coverage (UHC). Infection prevention and control (IPC), including hand hygiene, is critical to achieve UHC as it has a direct impact on quality of care and patient safety across all levels of the health services. 

In the framework of UHC, the theme for May 5, 2019 is “Clean care for all – it’s in your hands.” In this context, Tartari, et al. (2019) report that WHO has launched a global survey to assess the current level of progress of IPC programs and hand hygiene activities in healthcare facilities (HCFs) worldwide. 

This involved the creation of two tools for healthcare facilities: the WHO Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework (IPCAF) and the WHO Hand Hygiene Self-Assessment Framework (HHSAF). The objective of this paper is to provide case scenario-based simulation for IPC specialists to simulate and fully assimilate the correct completion of the HHSAF framework in a standardized format. The three case scenarios have been tested and are proposed for the reader to assess the HHSAF of different HCFs in a variety of contexts, even in low-resouce settings. They were designed for simulation training purposes to achieve standardization and interactive learning. These scenarios are meant to be used by professionals in charge of implementing a hand hygiene improvement strategy within their HCF, as well as for simulation and standardized training purposes prior to completing and submitting data for the 2019 WHO Global Survey. Additionally, information provided by the use of the HHSAF can easily be translated into action plans to support the implementation and improvement related to specific indicators of hand hygiene promotion. 

The authors invite all healthcare facilities to participate in the 2019 WHO global survey and monitor the level of progress of their IPC program and hand hygiene activities.

Reference: Tartari E, et al. Scenario-Based Simulation Training for the WHO Hand Hygiene Self-Assessment Framework. Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control. 2019;8:58