Knowledge and practice of hand hygiene among health-care workers in a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Abstract Background: A good awareness and application of hand hygiene (HH) among health-care personnel form a solid foundation for any health-care center to prevent nosocomial infections. The objective of this study was to gauge the expertise and execution of HH among various health-care professionals in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Methodology: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted over 2 months. A self-administered online questionnaire adapted from the WHO’s “Hand Hygiene Knowledge Questionnaire for Healthcare Workers” was sent to 217 participants. Their answers were scored based on the level of knowledge and practice of HH among them. Results: All age groups practiced HH to a fair extent, although respondents over the age of 31 (94.1%) showed significantly higher levels of understanding of HH in comparison to younger adults. There was no statistical difference in the knowledge level between male and female gender; however, females (91.2%) showed a better practice of HH than males. Although doctors (87.8%) had a higher degree of knowledge than nurses (70%), nurses (98%) had better HH practice than doctors. Overall, knowledge of HH was adequate with good practice. Conclusion: The adoption of excellent HH habits is thought to be predicted by greater knowledge about HH. However, to foster better HH habits that can significantly contribute to maintaining compliance with good practices, it is crucial to convey lacunae in knowledge during routine training sessions.