High Impact Hand Disinfection

German Clinic implements touchless PRAESIDIO disinfectant dispensers with eye-catching graphics

“Hand Disinfection Mandatory!” reads a prominent blue sign situated before the entrance of a hospital ward at the Herz-Jesu-Krankenhaus in Münster-Hiltrup, Germany. “When? Before entering the ward. After leaving the ward.”

Below the sign there is an arrow that draws healthcare workers, patients and visitors from the hallway to the unique-looking touchless disinfectant dispenser – The Praesidio.

Why all the fuss? To the surprise of some, health care environments can be areas where germs and bacteria thrive. Hospital staff, visitors and patients alike are all carriers of potential infections, particularly with their hands. To combat this, regular and careful hand disinfection plays a key role in preventing nosocomial infections. Entrance areas and highly frequented corridors of hospitals typically see a high volume of people and therefore provide great potential to draw attention to careful hand hygiene. Many facilities use disinfectant dispensers for this purpose, but they are not always easy to reach and can sometimes be inconspicuously placed.

Non-contact dispensers and visually appealing graphics raise awareness

The Herz-Jesu-Krankenhaus in Münster-Hiltrup, North Rhine-Westphalia, is pursuing an innovative approach to sustainable infection prevention that uses the positive effect of colours and eye-catching graphics to increase the attention of hospital staff, guests and patients alike for hand disinfection. The clinic recently equipped their central entrance areas and ward entrances with a total of twelve wall-mounted touchless hand disinfectant dispensers. These were mounted on coloured wall panels designed to bring attention to hand hygiene opportunities.

In addition to the colourful wall panels, Ophardt PRAESIDIO hygiene dispensers were provided with the in-house logo designed to emphasize the hygiene value of the clinic. Besides the customizability, this unique sensor-controlled dispenser helps to effectively prevent cross-contamination. The patented shower nozzle, contained within the hygienic chamber, helps to both maximize the spread of the disinfectant, while avoiding harmful aerosolization.

Astrid Gödel, Hygiene specialist at Herz-Jesu-Krankenhaus Münster-Hiltrup, is satisfied with the installation.

“The disinfectant dispensers are very well received and frequently used. We regularly receive positive feedback from visitors and employees about the devices. In addition to the visually appealing design, intuitive operation plays an important role in the use of the devices”.

The hospital has over 340 beds and is a true pioneer in hand hygiene. Over the past year, the OPHARDT Hygiene Monitoring System® (OHMS) has supported those responsible for hygiene in the clinic in analyzing and improving compliance in a hygiene-sensitive intensive care unit.

Find out more about this hospital at: https://www.hjk-muenster.de/startseite.html

Find out more about the Praesidio, and other solutions at: https://www.ophardt.com/