Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Corresponding author. The influence of the Hawthorne effect on hand hygiene compliance in an intensive care unit was assessed using covert and overt direct observation.
The observational study was conducted from February to November in a bed adult intensive care unit in a bed tertiary care hospital, in four periods P : P-1, February 5-March 3, 29 h covert and P-2, March April 16, 33 h overt , prior to an educational campaign on hand hygiene; and P-3, August September 28, 33 h covert and P-4, October 3-November 6, 35 h overt , after the campaign.
Three min observation sessions were performed daily, randomly distributed in the morning, afternoon and evening shifts, including holidays and weekends. Hand hygiene compliance rates observed in Periods 2 and 4 were displayed on an electronic panel installed in the unit.
Before the campaign, the overall hand hygiene compliance rate was The infection rate was reduced by The Hawthorne effect and educational campaign markedly influenced compliance with hand hygiene recommendations.
The results suggest that combining overt and covert observation methods, including regular feedback on hand hygiene compliance displayed on an electronic panel, may be a valid alternative to increase real hand hygiene compliance rates in hospital practice. Direct observation of hand hygiene practices in healthcare settings is currently considered the gold standard for monitoring hand hygiene compliance [ 1 ]. However, a major limitation of this method is the Hawthorne effect, i.
