ADHERENCE TO HAND HYGIENE: INTERVENTION AND ASSESSMENT

Abstract

Quantitative study aimed to observe adherence to hand hygiene by health professionals of an Emergency Care Service of a Teaching Hospital, in the state of São Paulo, and assess whether an educational intervention conducted between July 2012 and December 2013 had impact on this practice. During 120 hours of observation, 5,061 opportunities of hand hygiene were observed and recorded. The greatest number of opportunities was observed among nursing professionals (70.05%), because they are most numerous health professionals and usually perform care functions; these were followed by the medical team (17.82%) and physiotherapists (12.13%). After the educational activities adherence increased from 28.6% to 38.9%.In the post-intervention moment, all the professionals showed higher adherence to hand hygiene compared to the pre-intervention moment, and adherence was significantly higher after the use of aseptic procedures. It is concluded that hand hygiene compliance was less than expected and educational strategies favored adhesion.

Keywords

• Hand hygiene
• Hospital infection
• Health personnel