Nursing infection preventionists invaluable to improving hand hygiene rates and decreasing hospital-acquired infections

Hand hygiene is the single most important step caregivers can take in preventing hospital-acquired infections, yet research shows that nurses and other caregivers often don't follow recommended guidelines for hand hygiene - and are only in compliance from 30 percent to 48 percent of the time, depending on which study is being cited. "Nurses often are overworked and get busy and sometimes cut corners in their work. This might mean they 'skip' handwashing because they feel they don't have the time," says Cheryl Wagner, Ph.D...