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Investigating the Knowledge, Attitude and Perception of Hand Hygiene of Nursing Employees Working in Intensive Care Units of Iran University of Medical Sciences, 2018-2019.

Introduction: Nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections are one of the most important issues in patients' health and safety. They result in prolonged stay and emerging disabilities among patients, increased antibiotic resistance, increased mortality, and elevated health care costs for both individual patients and healthcare system. Given that the transmission of pathogens in the hospital environment is usually done through contaminated hands of health care employees, hand hygiene observation is effective in preventing nosocomial infections. Research performed in various countries has shown a variety of reasons for non-compliance with hand hygiene such as poor knowledge about this issue and lack of positive attitude towards it. For this purpose, a study designed by us in 2018-2019 aimed to determine the hand hygiene related knowledge, attitude and perception of nurses working in intensive care units of treatment educational centers of Iran University of Medical Sciences. Methodology: The present research was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on a sample composed of 600 nurses, assistant nurses and assistant paramedics working in intensive care units of seven medical educational centers of Iran University of Medical Sciences. The census method was used and 366 (60%) persons have freely participated in the study. Data collection tools, including one questionnary on demographic and occupational characteristics, two World Health Organization questionnaries on hand hygiene knowledge and perception, and the second part of KAP questionnaire regarding hand hygiene attitude, were all provided to nursing employees by referring to the intensive care units, so that they could complete them and deliver the results. Data analysis was performed using SPSS, version 20, software. Using descriptive statistics, frequency distribution tables for qualitative variables and numerical indices of minimum, maximum, mean and standard deviation for the research quantitative variables and analytical statistics (Pearson coefficient, ANOVA and independent T tests), tables related to the comparisons and correlations were provided. Results: Of all nursing employees who participated in the study, 56.6% had good knowledge of hand hygiene, 71.3% an impartial or neutral attitude towards this practice and 64.5% a high perception of it. A statistically significant relationship was obtained between knowledge and education (P=0.029), perception and age range (P=0.002), work experience (P=0.029), and ward of workplace (P=0.014). Conclusion: Structured, regular and continuous educational programs with various and effective methods to maintain, promote and remove nursing employees' deficit of knowledge should continue more seriously. It is also necessary to identify the factors affecting the promotion of positive perception and attitude among nursing employees about hand hygiene.