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Healthcare professionals’ experiences of being observed regarding hygiene routines: the Hawthorne effect in vascular surgery
Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping; Sweden Unit of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden.
Unit of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Paediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Unit of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden; Department of Health, Medicine and Caring, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
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2021 (English)In: BMC Infectious Diseases, E-ISSN 1471-2334, Vol. 21, no 1, article id 420Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background: The Hawthorne Effect is the change in behaviour by subjects due to their awareness of being observed and is evident in both research and clinical settings as a result of various forms of observation. When the Hawthorne effect exists, it is short-lived, and likely leads to increased productivity, compliance, or adherence to standard protocols. This study is a qualitative component of an ongoing multicentre study, examining the role of Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy after vascular surgery (INVIPS Trial). Here we examine the factors that influence hygiene and the role of the Hawthorne effect on the adherence of healthcare professionals to standard hygiene precautions.

Methods: This is a qualitative interview study, investigating how healthcare professionals perceive the observation regarding hygiene routines and their compliance with them. Seven semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted, each interview included a different staff category and one individual interview with a nurse from the Department for Communicable Disease Control. Additionally, a structured questionnaire interview was performed with environmental services staff. The results were analysed based on the inductive qualitative content analysis approach.

Results: The analysis revealed four themes and 12 subthemes. Communication and hindering hierarchy were found to be crucial. Healthcare professionals sought more personal and direct feedback. All participants believed that there were routines that should be adhered to but did not know where to find information on them. Staff in the operating theatre were most meticulous in adhering to standard hygiene precautions. The need to give observers a clear mandate and support their work was identified. The staff had different opinions concerning the patient's awareness of the importance of hygiene following surgery. The INVIPS Trial had mediated the Hawthorne effect.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the themes identified, encompassing communication, behaviour, rules and routines, and work environment, influence the adherence of healthcare professionals to standard precautions to a considerable extent of which many factors could be mediated by a Hawthorne effect. It is important that managers within the healthcare system put into place an improved and sustainable hygiene care to reduce the rate of surgical site infections after vascular surgery.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
BioMed Central, 2021. Vol. 21, no 1, article id 420
Keywords [en]
Adherence to standard precautions; Compliance; Hawthorne effect; Healthcare professionals; Hierarchy; Hygiene observation; Vascular surgery.Adherence to standard precautions; Compliance; Hawthorne effect; Healthcare professionals; Hierarchy; Hygiene observation; Vascular surgery
National Category
Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy
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URN: urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-52438DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06097-5ISI: 000651474800011PubMedID: 33947338Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85105279629Local ID: GOA;;52438OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hj-52438DiVA, id: diva2:1553637
Available from: 2021-05-10 Created: 2021-05-10 Last updated: 2024-01-17Bibliographically approved

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Andersson, Ann-Christine

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The Jönköping Academy for Improvement of Health and WelfareHHJ. IMPROVE (Improvement, innovation, and leadership in health and welfare)
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