Hand Hygiene

In their new textbook, Hand Hygiene: A Handbook for Medical Professionals, Didier Pittet, John Boyce, and Benedetta Allegranzi turn to leading experts on patient safety and infection control to produce an impressive book with 45 chapters focusing on every aspect of hand hygiene. But, as Pittet asks in the preface, Does hand hygiene deserve a textbook? It is refreshing for a textbook writer to ask this question about his own book, and the answer, as the foreword suggests, is a resounding yes. While hand hygiene is essential, compliance is complicated. Additionally, actual rates of compliance are difficult to measure as are the number of HAIs that can be prevented with high hand hygiene compliance rates. With these issues in mind, Pittet and colleagues present this new work with a noble objective, to save many more millions of lives every year worldwide. The edition includes many important, but often overlooked, areas in chapters covering topics such as hand hygiene promotion strategies, human factors, barriers to compliance, and skin reaction to hand hygiene. Of particular importance, the book includes chapters on the safety climate as well as personal accountability. Of note, a chapter on religion and cultural practices sheds light on interesting issues that are often marginalised. The book is organised logically, beginning with a review of the data on HAI......We have a real problem with hand hygiene among medical professionals, and now is the time to embrace change. This handbook takes an important step in that direction. Pittet believes that a renewed commitment by providers will drive excellence in hand hygiene practices, research, and attitudes for many years to come. The editors and authors should be commended for this laudable goal and outstanding handbook (The Lancet Vol 17 August 17)