Factors Associated with Hand Washing Among Healthcare Personnel in Delivery Points at a Tertiary Care Hospital, South India

Abstract

Objectives: Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of neonatal mortality worldwide. Inadequate hand hygiene practices of healthcare workers (HCWs) at delivery points are a major causative factor of early-onset sepsis (EOS). This study aims to assess the prevailing hand washing practices of HCWs at delivery points and analyse the factors affecting these practices.Methods: A questionnaire-based, descriptive study was conducted in JIPMER, a tertiary care hospital in South India. Resident doctors, nurses, and interns posted at delivery points were recruited as participants. Hand hygiene practices of different groups were reported as frequencies and percentages. Factors affecting hand hygiene were scored on a five-point Likert scale and reported as median with inter-quartile range.Results: Nurses were found to have highest overall hand hygiene compliance, while interns reported the highest proportions of hand hygiene with respect to handling newborns. Non availability of means to dry hands near washing areas, overuse of gloves, staff shortages, emergency situations, and high patient load were some of the factors found to impede hand hygiene. Installation of CCTVs near washing areas and supervision by seniors were reported as factors that could improve hand washing. Conclusion:Even though nurses reported the highest overall hand hygiene compliance, they need to observe better hand washing practices before handling newborns. Among the factors found to facilitate and impede hand hygiene, some of them can easily be corrected to optimize hand hygiene practices at delivery points, to reduce EOS.