RUA Group

Sample Answer

Yes, increased nursing compliance with hand hygiene protocols is generally associated with a significant reduction in the rate of Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infections (CDI) in hospitalized adult patients.

Studies have consistently demonstrated a negative correlation, meaning as hand hygiene compliance goes up, the incidence of CDI goes down.

🦠 Key Findings and Rationale

Strong Correlation: Multiple studies, including those analyzing hospital-acquired infection data, have found a strong, statistically significant negative correlation between hand hygiene compliance and the rate of hospital-acquired C. difficile infection.

Intervention Success: Hospitals that implement robust, multifaceted infection prevention interventions—which include auditing, education, and real-time monitoring to improve hand hygiene compliance—often observe a significant decline in CDI rates over subsequent periods (such as six months or more).

Spore Transmission: C. difficile forms hardy spores that can survive on environmental surfaces and hands for a long time. These spores are a primary mechanism for transmission via the fecal-oral route, often mediated by the hands of healthcare workers.

Soap and Water Efficacy: Crucially, alcohol-based hand sanitizers are generally ineffective against C. difficile spores. Therefore, for suspected or confirmed CDI cases, proper handwashing with soap and water is mandatory, as the physical action of washing and rinsing effectively removes the spores from the skin.