2019 Volume 34 Issue 3 Pages 182-189
Practicing hand hygiene in healthcare settings is the most important means of preventing cross infections and the spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria. It is the basis of healthcare-associated infection control protocols. Nursing students undergoing clinical training are required to practice hand hygiene as members of a medical team. For that reason, they need to understand hand hygiene procedures, along with the "My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene" and act accordingly in clinical settings. However, few studies have investigated nursing students' knowledge of hand hygiene or their hand hygiene compliance. This study aimed to elucidate nursing students' knowledge of hand hygiene and the rate of compliance to guide future teaching methods. We conducted an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire survey targeting nursing students of three four-year universities and two career colleges when they completed their entire clinical training program. The survey focused on their knowledge of hand hygiene, the actual hand hygiene practiced, and factors associated with their hand hygiene practices. Very few students could give correct answers about the effects of antiseptic hand rub use on pathogenic microorganisms, "appropriate hand hygiene procedures for different situations" or "My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene," showing their lack of solid knowledge. Although they did not understand "My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene" accurately, half of the respondents answered that they had been able to perform hand hygiene procedures correctly during their clinical training because "they copied what nurses were doing." This suggests many nursing students under clinical training have difficulty making their own judgments about appropriate hand hygiene procedures for each situation.
