Volume : 7, Issue : 12, December - 2018

HAND HYGIENE COMPLIANCE IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNITS OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Sindhu Cugati, Aishwarya J Ramalingam, Chitralekha Saikumar

Abstract :

<p>&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:&#10;normal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&#10;&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN">Introduction</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;&#10;mso-ansi-language:EN">: Health-care associated infections are recognized as a major burden for patients. Improper hand hygiene by healthcare workers (HCWs) is responsible for about 40% of nosocomial infections. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:&#10;normal">Methodology</b>: Individual HCW was observed during routine patient care with respect to potential HH opportunities available and number of HH actions performed in the ICU&rsquo;s of a teritiary care centre . <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Results</b>: Total desired HH opportunities during the study period were 66.1% from staff nurses and 33.9% from doctors. HH actions actually performed by the HCWs were 212 and overall compliance of the study group was estimated as 59.71%. It was 71.7 % in the intensivists, 52.6% in attending physicians, 33.3%<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp; </span>in senior residents and 62.1% in the nurses. Compliance was inversely related to activity index. Compliance for high, medium and low risk of cross-transmission was 53.6%, 61.9% and 60% respectively. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Conclusion</b>: Hand hygiene is the most effective tool to control nosocomial infections.<o:p></o:p></span></p>