Evaluation of hand washing practices among health care providers in teaching Hospitals at Kirkuk City

Abstract EN

Background : transmission of microorganisms from the hands of healthcare workers are the main source of cross-infection in hospitals and can be prevented by hand washing.

Aim : this study aimed to evaluate the hand washing practices of health care providers in Kirkuk hospitals, to find out the associations of several factors with hand washing /hand hygiene compliance of health care workers, who work in the emergency, theater room, medical and surgical room, Dialysis unit and intensive care unit (ICU) in these hospitals.

Methodology : A Cross sectional observational study was carried out, the study conducted during the period (January 2012toMay 2012) ; researcher was the observer who randomly observed the health care workers during routine patient care.

The target population was doctors and nurses who work in the Medical and Surgical room and intensive care unit (ICU), (150) observation opportunities were collected from three hospitals ; Azadi teaching hospital, Kirkuk hospital and pediatric hospital.

(SPSS) were used for data analysis.

Results : female washing their hands before patient contact more than males, (female 35, 1 %, male 30.5 %.

The study found that the highest compliance for hand washing before patient contact was among the practical nurses (34.0 %), and hand washing compliance was worst among physicians (32.1 %).

The age of health workers who showed highest compliance was 30-40 years old.

The Theater room had the highest hand washing compliance rate (60.4 %), and the lowest compliance rate (0 %) was found in ICU department.

Conclusion : the study founded that the highest number of nurses applying the hand washing before contact with patients in any care activities, and relative to physicians, the study shows there were lower applying for hand washing than nurses.

Recommendations : hospital system Change: ensuring that the necessary infrastructure is in place to allow health care providers to practice hand hygiene.

This includes two essential elements : access to a safe, continuous water supply as well as to soap and towels, readily-accessible alcohol-based hand rubs at the point of care.