The Actual State of Handwashing in Nurses in Medical and Surgical Wards of a University Hospital

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the handwashing in clinical nurses for prevention and control of nosocomial infection. METHODS: The subjects were 192 nurses at a university hospital in Busan. The data were collected using questionnaires, which included items to measure the method, application time, and frequency of handwashing related to nursing intervention activities, and were analyzed using the mean score, frequency and percentage. RESULTS: Each day, the nurses had an average of 10.5 times of hand washing. 34.9% of nurses had evaluated "not enough" concerning their handwashing performance. Nurses indicated that the performance of handwashing had interrupted by overwork, lack of facilities, skin irritation with itching, etc. 19.4% of nurses had not received education program about handwashing. Some nurses did not strictly follow a handwashing protocol allowing potential chances of nosocomial infection to occur. The rate of handwashing performance increased after the activities of nursing intervention than before activities related to respiration, nutrition, elimination, hygiene, medication, etc. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that hospital administrators must develop education programs and policies for the prevention of nosocomial infection. We recommend that nurses participate in education to search for practical methods to improve the management of nosocomial infection such as handwashing performance.