What is a reason healthcare workers may cite as a barrier to hand hygiene?

A busy schedule is commonly cited as a barrier to hand hygiene among healthcare workers for several reasons. In a fast-paced healthcare environment, professionals often face high patient loads and time constraints, which can lead to a neglect of proper hand hygiene practices. The urgency of providing care may result in healthcare workers skipping or hurrying through handwashing or using hand sanitizers inadequately.

While preferences for alcohol rubs or the belief in personal hygiene reflect attitudes that could affect hand hygiene practices, they do not represent barriers in the same way that time constraints do. Similarly, readily available hand sanitizer serves as an aid rather than a hindrance. In contrast, the focus on the challenges presented by busy schedules highlights a real and frequently encountered impediment to maintaining optimal hand hygiene standards, which is crucial for preventing healthcare-associated infections.