Comparison between the efficacy of hand washings with waterless hand hygiene in hospital nurses

Abstract

Introduction: Hospital acquired infections recognize as an important risk factor in health care. In this regard health care and hand hygiene is the first step in controlling the infections. This study, carried out with the aim of comparing the effect of hand washings in the usual way with disinfectants without water in microbial contamination of the hospitals hand nurses. Material and Method: Accordingly, samples were taken from hand of 30 nurses in the wards of surgery, pediatrics, emergency, CCU, ICU and cardiology in 4 steps before and after washing with soap and washing with liquid hand rub. Samples were cultured in EMB and Blood Agar medium, then identified by gram staining, catagase and coagugas tests and growth on manitol salt agar. Result: The findings showed that 30 samples were not grown on EMB medium، but 30 samples of Blood agar, before and after washing with soap and liquid hand rub, were grown and applying hand rub alcohol liquid is most effective than washing with soap. Identification of bacteria in manitol salt agar medium and coagulas test revealed %80 were coagulas negative staphylococcus and %20 coagulas positive staphylococcus. Conclusion: In this study washing with soap dose not effect on hand hygiene of nurses but disinfectant with liquid alcohol shows significant correlation in reducing microbial load on personnels’ hand that is revealed alcohol was more effective in reducing pollution.

Keywords

• hand hygiene
• microbiological contamination
• disinfectants
• hospital nurses