Application of an objective structured clinical examination to evaluate and monitor interns’ proficiency in hand hygiene and personal protective equipment use in the United States

This study was conducted to determine whether an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) could be used to evaluate and monitor hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) proficiency among medical interns in the United States. This study included not only a descriptive analysis of survey results, but also a comparative study of 2 independent groups and pretest and posttest analyses of the same group. Interns in July 2015 (N=123, cohort 1) with no experience of OSCE-based contact precaution evaluation and teaching were evaluated in early 2016 using an OSCE for hand hygiene and PPE proficiency. They performed poorly. Therefore, the new interns entering in July 2016 (N=151, cohort 2) were immediately tested at the same OSCE stations as cohort 1, and were provided with feedback and teaching. Cohort 2 was then retested at the OSCE station in early 2017.