Click here to see a study summary and some latest results.

Click here for a powerpoint presentation entitled 'NOSEC - Results from the first, second and third questionnaires'.

Hand Hygiene Observation Tool

Following a workshop presentation at the NPSA, it became clear that there is a need for a standardised and reliable observation tool for use in hospital wards for audit and feedback. We have developed the Hand-hygiene Observation Tool (HHOT) and the corresponding standard operating procedures (SOPs) in response to this need. In developing our observation tool, we have tried to simplify categories, described the ‘rules’ for classifying hand-hygiene behaviour more completely, and assessed inter-rater reliability for each observational category.

Our research team are using this tool as part of a randomised controlled trial of a behavioural intervention to improve hand-hygiene compliance, the Feedback Intervention Trial (FIT), funded by the Patient Safety Research Programme. The tool has been successfully used for almost 400 hours worth of observation in 60 wards as part of the FIT trial and adopted by 25 senior managers at the Royal Free who use it in their regular “walk-abouts” to monitor hand-hygiene compliance.

Click here to download the full version of our Standard Operating Procedures.

Click here to download the short summary of our Standard Operating Procedures.

Click here to download the hand-hygiene observation tool.

Click here for a document with directions on using the hand hygiene tool.

NOSEC publications