Supervisors info:
Νικολέτα Ροβίνα, Λέκτορας, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Στυλιανός Ορφανός,Καθηγητής,Ιατρική Σχολή,ΕΚΠΑ
Ελένη Λουτράρη,Βιολόγος Ερευνήτρια,Ίδρυμα Θώραξ
Summary:
Abstract
Introduction: Patient-related infections are the most common adverse health effects in the healthcare sector, resulting in a significant burden on patients, their families, and health care systems. However, the compliance of healthcare providers with recommended practices remains unsatisfactory in most places.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the habits of ICU health professionals regarding hand hygiene as well as their degree of compliance with hand hygiene after their training.
Methodology: This is an intervention study where the evaluation was done with direct observation. The study was conducted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a large Tertiary Hospital in Athens. The intervention program is divided into four phases, briefing, observation of habits, training and observation of habits. For collecting the data, the five WHO Handbook of Occupational Hygiene has been used, translated into Greek, supplemented by the organization's own guidelines. In addition, posters were placed inside the ICU area on the "Five Steps of Hand Hygiene" and were designed with intense designs and colors as a reminder of the application of Hand Hygiene.
Results: 224 entries were made before the intervention. Of all the observations, 116 (51.8%) became hand hygiene with antiseptic fluid, 102 (45.5%) had no hand hygiene, and in six (2.7%) hands were washed. With regard to the use of gloves, 67 (29.9%) health professionals placed gloves, 60 (26.8%) rejected their gloves, 55 (24.6%) continued with the same gloves and 42 (18.8%) They did not wear gloves. After the intervention, 213 records were observed. According to the post-intervention actions, 177 (83.1%) handled hygiene with antiseptic fluid, while 36 (16.9%) health professionals did nothing. According to the observations made, 92 (43.2%) concerned gloves, 91 (42.7%) gloves, 16 (7.5%) continued with the same gloves and 14 (6.6%) Wore gloves (figure 13).
Conclusions: The compliance to hand hygiene differed among health professionals in ICU. This study showed that there is a clear margin of improvement in ICU infection control practices.
Keywords:
ICU, Health care professionals, Hand hygiene, Infections, Compliance
