Hand hygiene compliance in a Brazilian COVID-19 unit: the impact of moments and contact precautions.
Antimicrob Resist Infect Control
; 13(1): 7, 2024 01 22.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38254156
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Healthcare-associated infections are among the most common complications during hospitalization. These infections increase morbidity and mortality and they increase length of hospital stay and the cost of healthcare. The aims of our study were to monitor hand hygiene (HH) compliance, HH technique quality and factors related to HH practice among health professionals in a COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).METHODS:
An observational, prospective study. Between September and December 2021, we observed 69 healthcare professionals in an eight-bed ICU for patients with COVID-19 in midwestern Brazil. We used the WHO observation form to collect data. The dependent variable was HH compliance and independent variables were professional category, sex, HH quality (3-step technique for at least 15 s), number of HH opportunities observed, observation shift and inappropriate glove use.RESULTS:
We observed 1185 HH opportunities. The overall compliance rate was 26.4%, but only 6.5% were performed with the correct 3-step technique for the minimum time. HH compliance was considerably lower for moments "before" tasks (6.7%; 95% CI 4.8%, 9.2%) compared with moments "after" tasks (43.8%; 95% CI 39.9%, 47.8%). The logistic model found that inappropriate glove use, night shift and physicians (p < 0.001) were associated with low HH compliance. The infrastructure analysis found that the unit had an insufficient number of alcohol-based handrub (ABHR) dispensers at the point of care and that the mechanism for activating them was poorly designed.CONCLUSIONS:
HH compliance was very low. Inappropriate glove use was associated with low compliance and the unit's infrastructure did not support good HH practice. The fact that healthcare professionals were more likely to do HH after tasks, suggests that they use HH to protect themselves rather than the patients. Adequate infrastructure and ongoing health education with a focus on HH while caring for patients in contact precautions are essential for improving HH compliance and patient safety.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Infecção Hospitalar
/
Higiene das Mãos
/
COVID-19
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
America do sul
/
Brasil
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Antimicrob Resist Infect Control
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Brasil
País de publicação:
Reino Unido