NCT04187040

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

SIMPLIFY the Hand Hygiene Procedure - Three Steps Versus Six Steps for Performing Hand Hygiene - an International Multicenter Cluster Randomized Trial (SIMPLIFY Study)

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

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.

Conditions

• Hand Hygiene

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Study intervention: 3-step hand hygiene technique	3-step hand hygiene technique: 1. Covering all surfaces of the hands (based on own judgement) 2. Rotational rubbing of fingertips in the palm of the alternate hand 3. Rotational rubbing of both thumbs
PROCEDURE	Control intervention: 6-step hand hygiene technique	6-step hand hygiene technique (according to the WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care, First Global Patient Safety Challenge): 1. Rubbing hands palm to palm 2. Palm to palm with fingers interlaced 3. Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers and vice versa 4. Back of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked 5. Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa 6. Rotational rubbing backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-12-01
• Primary completion: 2026-12-01
• Completion: 2026-12-01
• First posted: 2019-12-05
• Last updated: 2025-01-10