Authors

Ana Mª Gómez Gómez1, Miriam Vázquez Campo2, Patricia C. Bermejo Ansia3, Gregorio C. Iglesias Casas4

Position

1Grado de Enfermería. Máster Universitario en Atención Sanitaria, Gestión y cuidados. Área de Calidad. Área Sanitaria de Ourense, Verín y O Barco de Valdeorras. Ourense 2Doctora en Psicología. Área de Calidad. Área Sanitaria de Ourense, Verín y O Barco de Valdeorras. Ourense 3Diplomada en Enfermería. Servicio de Medicina Preventiva. Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense. Ourense 4Diplomado en Enfermería. Procesos de Enfermería. Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense

Contact address

Ana Mª Gómez Gómez. Avda. de Zamora, 31. 32005 Ourense.

Contact email: agomgom1@sergas.es

Abstract

Objective: to assess the efficacy of an educational intervention on hand hygiene (HH) in Surgical Hospitalization Units, and its association with the gender, professional category, and Hospitalization Unit of the professionals.
Method: an analytical quasi-experimental, pre-post study, on a single arm. The intervention consisted in theoretical-practical 1-hour courses targeted to all healthcare professionals in Surgical Hospitalization at the Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense, Spain. The opportunities for HH represented the observation unit. A sample size of 294 opportunities was calculated. There was a comparison of adequate HH rates pre and post intervention, using the Chi square Test for independent samples; the level of significance considered was p.05. Prevalence Ratios were calculated with their confidence intervals at 95%.
Results: in total, 423 observations were conducted pre-intervention, and 466 post-intervention. After the intervention, there was a significant improvement in HH (p= 0.002), particularly among Nursing professionals (p< 0.001) and assistant nursing technicians (p= 0.01). The instances with higher improvement were: “after touching the patient setting” (p= 0.001) and “before contact with the patient” (p= 0.001). There was a significant increase in the use of nail polish (p< 0.001) and jewelry, though the latter was non-significant (p= 0.23). No significant difference was found according to gender or Hospitalization Unit (p> 0,05).
Conclusions: an educational intervention on HH significantly improved the adherence to HH recommendations, except for the guidelines regarding the use of nail polish and jewelry, although these data must be interpreted with caution.

Keywords:

Hand hygiene; hygiene; hospital infection; healthcare staff; patient safety; knowledge; attitudes and practice in healthcare

Versión en Español

Título:

Efectividad de una intervención educativa sobre higiene de manos en unidades de hospitalización quirúrgica