Introducing the glo-box for hand hygiene at the hospice

Hand hygiene is vital in preventing the spread of infection, but how well you wash your hands is more important than simply washing them. On October 29, nursing staff at the hospice checked the hand hygiene of 30 people, using a handy contraption called the glo-box.

The majority of people tested in the Heart of the Hospice cafe were staff members and volunteers, with one member of the public also keen to try the glo-box. They found that when they put their hands inside, UV light was used to highlight any part of the hands that might be missed during hand washing.

Gaye Hunt, In-Patient Unit Team Leader, said of the exercise: “People seemed to enjoy the session, especially those who were new to it. They took leaflets away, which will be helpful to other teams as the glo-box currently resides on the In-Patient Unit. In future, we would like to involve other groups such as medical staff, kitchen and therapy teams. I’d also like to get a few more visitors having a go next time, if we can.”

More sessions will be announced in the coming weeks as part of the hospice’s ongoing awareness about infection control and prevention.