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I recently attended Asociación Argentina de Enfermeros en Control de Infecciones (ADECI), an infection prevention-focused congress in Argentina, to discuss the role of the environment in contributing to healthcare associated infections (HAIs). Published studies have provided strong evidence that the environment plays a role in the risk of certain HAIs. Both hand hygiene and disinfection of environmental surfaces are key, as healthcare workers touch an array of objects, people and surfaces throughout the day.

Each year, norovirus causes 19-21 million cases of acute gastroenteritis on average in the U.S., leading to outpatient and emergency room visits and, in some cases, death. Norovirus is a very contagious virus that can quickly and easily spread on a cruise ship where people are in close proximity.

To prevent a norovirus outbreak from wreaking havoc on a cruise line’s reputation, it’s important to address hand hygiene risks and know how to identify an effective hand sanitizing solution.

Fighting Norovirus

Handwashing is a critical routine for preventing the spread of bacteria that can lead to foodborne illness, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and other unpleasant ailments. Yet, hand hygiene compliance rates are far from perfect. Organizations that have gaps in hand hygiene compliance open themselves up to considerable risk, such as negative publicity, lawsuits, fines, business closures and more. In order to protect your brand, it’s important to understand several barriers to hand hygiene and solutions for alleviating them.

One easy way to promote cleaning and hygiene positively is to make it highly visible to your customers. Although this may seem counterintuitive, customers likely value seeing critical areas being cleaned during their visit. It demonstrates that your organization takes cleaning and hygiene seriously enough to keep on top of it rather than simply doing a quick clean in the morning or at night.

There are several reasons why promoting cleanliness can make a difference.