Exploring the factors associated with hand hygiene compliance of nurses during routine clinical practice☆
Received 31 March 2008; received in revised form 2 June 2008; accepted 5 June 2008. published online 16 January 2009.
Abstract
Background
Nurses and other health care providers (HCPs) continue to be noncompliant with the guidelines of proper hand hygiene practices.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to explore the factors associated with hand hygiene compliance among HCPs during routine clinical.
Methods
An observational study was conducted at an oncology hospital to examine hand hygiene practices observed during 612 procedures that were performed by 67 HCPs.
Results
Hand hygiene compliance was 41.7% (n = 255) before procedure and 72.1% (n = 441) after the procedure. The overall compliance was only 34.3% (n = 210). Compliance with the standards of hand hygiene was higher in high-risk procedures (odds ratio [OR] = 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–2.65) and when HCPs were exposed to blood (OR = 1.40; 95% CI, 1.07–1.73).
Conclusion
The findings highlight the need to continue to push compliance with hand hygiene using innovative approaches that go beyond teaching and in-service training.
aUniversity of Miami, School of Nursing and Health Studies, Miami, FL 33134, USA
bFaculty of Nursing Health Education Centre Windsor, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9E 4S9
ABSTRACT