Hand hygiene: A prospective interventional study on compliance of health care workers in a tertiary care hospital in India

Abstract

Background: Hand Hygiene (HH) involves cleaning of hands by using alcohol-based hand rubs or washing the hands with soap and water when visibly soiled and hygiene is known to reduce the incidence of hospital acquired infections. Besides complacency, the lack of enough resources for HH are known to reduce the compliance. Methods: A prospective interventional study was conducted to assess HH compliance before and after intervention among health care workers including doctors and nurses in 6 intensive care units, over 7 months period from December 2018 to June 2019. Results: Hand hygiene compliance rate was low before intervention. The difference was statistically significant (p value <0.5) in all ICU’s except Neonatal ICU which already had a good compliance. Overall HH rate of respiratory ICU (91%) and cardiovascular thoracic ICU (90%) was highest. The difference was statistically significant (p value <0.5) for moment 1,2 and 3 but not for moments 4 and 5. HH compliance rate was better in nurses than doctors. To increase HH compliance, repeated trainings onsite are effective and providing resources for HH makes them fulfilling responsibility of cleaning hands.

Keywords

• hand hygiene
• hh compliance
• alcohol-based hand rubs