Alexandra Peters, PhD

Despite their protective role, gloves are often misused in health care settings—undermining hand hygiene, risking patient safety, and worsening environmental impact. Alexandra Peters, PhD, points out that this misuse deserves urgent attention, especially today, World Hand Hygiene Day.

Despite revolutionary advancements like alcohol-based hand rubs, infection prevention still faces major hurdles. Poor adherence to hygiene, overreliance on technology, and understaffed environmental services create perfect storm conditions for deadly outbreaks.

Outsourcing environmental hygiene in health care facilities offers cost benefits but often compromises quality. Effective oversight, training, and standards are essential for ensuring patient safety.

Clean Hospitals Day 2024 emphasizes health care environmental hygiene, recognizing environmental service workers' efforts across 6 technical domains, enhancing global patient safety and infection prevention.

This new column, Clean Hospital with Alexandra Peters, PhD, explores advancements in health care environmental hygiene, highlighting its growing recognition as a key component of infection prevention and honoring pioneers like Professor Stephanie Dancer.

Environmental services teams (EVS) are crucial players in ensuring patient satisfaction and combating health care–associated infections, yet, too many EVS teams are invisible. They deserve recognition, and this article by environmental hygiene experts explains why and how to give appreciation effectively.