Student Nurses’ Hand Hygiene Beliefs and Practices

Abstract

Introduction: Hand hygiene is the most cost-effective and easy implemented measure to prevent healthcare-associated infections. Determining beliefs and practices regarding hand hygiene is highly important in order to improve compliance. However, studies regarding Turkish student nurses’ beliefs and practices about hand hygiene are lacking. Thus, this study was performed to determine hand hygiene belief and practices among student nurses. Method: The sample of this descriptive study consisted of 462 student nurses from a faculty of nursing. Data were collected via a self-reported hand hygiene questionnaire which determines hand hygiene compliance, beliefs and practices. The hand hygiene beliefs, and practices of student nurses’ were determined with the hand hygiene belief scale and the hand hygiene practices inventory. Findings: Of the 462 respondents, 108 (23.4%) enrolled the second year, 142 (30.7%) enrolled the third year and 212 (45.9%) enrolled in the fourth year. The average self-reported hand hygiene compliance rate was 84.42±12.64 among student nurses. The student nurses’ average hand hygiene practice inventory and hand hygiene belief scores were 65.90±5.54 and 85.04±8.20 respectively. The student nurses reported the lowest compliance rates under the following conditions: before patient contact (4.35±0.88), before entering an isolation room (4.44±0.88) and before caring for a wound (4.55±0.74). Results: It was determined that the student nurses reported a high hand hygiene compliance rate. In addition, they showed positive beliefs towards hand hygiene and demonstrated good practices regarding hand hygiene.

 

Giriş: El hijyeni, sağlıkla ilişkili enfeksiyonları önlemek için uygulanan en ucuz ve kolay yöntemdir. El hijyeni ile ilgili inanç ve uygulamaların belirlenmesi, uyumu arttırmak için oldukça önemlidir. Ancak, Türk öğrenci hemşirelerinin el hijyeni konusundaki inanç ve uygulamaları konusunda araştırmalar oldukça sınırlıdır. Bu nedenle, bu çalışma öğrenci hemşirelerin el hijyeni inanç ve uygulamalarını belirlemek amacıyla yapıldı. Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı tipteki bu çalışmanın örneklemi bir hemşirelik fakültesinin 462 öğrencisinden oluştu. Veriler, el hijyeni uyumunu, inançlarını ve uygulamalarını belirleyen soru formu ile toplandı. Öğrenci hemşirelerin el hijyen inançları ve uygulamaları El Hijyeni Inanç Ölçeği ve El Hijyeni Uygulamaları Envanteri ile belirlendi. Bulgular: Araştırmaya katılan 462 katılımcıdan 108’i (% 23.4) ikinci, 142’si (% 30,7) üçüncü ve 212’si (% 45.9) dördüncü sınıf öğrencisidir. Öğrenci hemşirelerin ortalama el hijyeni uyum oranları 84.42 ± 12.64 idi. Öğrenci hemşirelerin ortalama el hijyeni uygulama envanteri ve el hijyeni inanç puanları sırasıyla 65.90 ± 5.54 ve 85.04 ± 8.20 idi. Öğrenci hemşireler hasta temasından önce (4.35 ± 0.88), izolasyon odasına girmeden önce (4.44 ± 0.88) ve yara bakımı yapmadan önce (4.55 ± 0.74) en düşük uyum oranlarını rapor etmişlerdir. Sonuç: Öğrenci hemşirelerin el hijyeni uyum oranının yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca, el hijyenine karşı olumlu inançlara sahip oldukları ve el hijyeni ile ilgili uygulamalarının iyi olduğu belirlenmiştir. 

Keywords

• Hand hygiene,belief,practice,student nurse

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