Effect of Optimal Alcohol-Based Hand Rub among Nurse Students Compared with Everyday Practice among Random Adults; Can Water-Based Hand Rub Combined with a Hand Dryer Machine Be an Alternative to Remove E. coli Contamination from Hands?

Efficient hand hygiene is essential for preventing the transmission of microorganisms. Alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) is a recommended method. We compared health personnel (skilled nurse students) with random adults to study the effect of an ABHR procedure. A water-based hand rub (WBHR) procedure, using running tap water and a hand-drying machine, was also investigated. The study included 27 nurse students and 26 random adults. Hands were contaminated with Escherichia coli, and concentrations of colony forming units (CFU/mL) were determined before and after ABHR or WBHR. Concentrations after ABHR were 1537 CFU/mL (nurse students) and 13,508 CFU/mL (random adults) (p < 0.001). One-third of participants reported skin irritation from daily ABHR. Concentrations after WBHR were 41 CFU/mL (nurse students) and 115 CFU/mL (random adults) (p < 0.011). The majority of participants (88.5%) preferred the WBHR method. Results from 50 air samples from filtered air from the hand dryer outlet showed no CFU in 47 samples. A significant difference between the two groups was shown for the ABHR method, indicating that training skills are important for efficient hand hygiene. Surprisingly, the WBHR method seemed to have a significant effect in largely removing transient bacteria from hands.

Challenges in municipality healthcare services-The nurse leaders' perspective.

AIM: To examine perceptions of key challenges that nursing leadership face when organizing healthcare services in the municipality. DESIGN: A qualitative study involving community nurse leaders (N = 9) in two focus group interviews. METHODS: The material has been processed and interpreted in accordance with the phenomenological-hermeneutical tradition, and this process was inspired by Graneheim and Lundman. RESULTS: Three themes were identified in this study: (a) Tension between organizing the daily work and future challenges; (b) Challenges with recruiting enough registered nurse (RNs) in municipal healthcare services; and (c) Competence development plan-a strategic tool for nursing leadership. The municipal healthcare services need a better knowledge base with better knowledge of both the content and quality of services, organization, leadership and management, thus improving new forms of work and professional approaches.