What is the purpose of a hand washing audit on a hospital unit?

• A. To assess staff compliance with hand washing
• B. To measure soap usage
• C. To train new staff
• D. To monitor patient outcomes

Answer: (A)

Hand hygiene audits are about checking whether staff actually perform hand washing when the policy requires it. By observing or reviewing how often hands are cleaned at key moments, the unit can gauge true adherence, spot where practice slips, and use that information to give feedback and guide improvements. This direct focus on behavior helps reduce the spread of infections.

Measuring soap usage might show resources used but doesn’t prove hands were cleaned at the critical times. Training new staff is important, but it’s about education, not measuring current compliance. Patient outcomes are influenced by many factors and aren’t a direct measure of day-to-day hand hygiene behavior.