International Journal of Advances in Nursing Management.

9(3): July - September, 2021

ISSN 2347-8632 (Print) Available online at

2454-2652 (Online) www.anvpublication.org
DOI:
International Journal of Advances in Nursing
Vol. 09 | Issue-03|
July - September | 2021 Management
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RESEARCH ARTICLE

A Study to Assess Hand washing compliance among nursing professionals

in General Wards of Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences
Ms. Anchal Singh1, Mrs. Rajalakshmi. R2, Dr. MalarviZhi S.3, Dr. K. Ravichandran4,
Dr. Amirtha Santhi S.5
1
MSc (N) Student, College of Nursing, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Puducherry, India.
2
Assistant Professor, Dept of Medical Surgical Nursing, College of Nursing, Pondicherry Institute of Medical
Sciences, Puducherry, India.
3
Professor and Head, Dept. of Community Health Nursing, College of Nursing, Pondicherry Institute of Medical
Sciences, Puducherry, India.
4
Lecturer, Biostatistician, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Puducherry, India.
5
Assistant Professor, Dept of Medical Surgical Nursing, College of Nursing, Pondicherry Institute of Medical
Sciences, Puducherry.
*Corresponding Author E-mail: senthilkumarraji2010@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
Hand washing is the practice, which keeps the hands free from pathogens or decrease the amount prior to any
procedure or touching the patient. Health Care associated infections (HCAIs) are the major cause of morbidity
and mortality. Hospital acquired infections posses a very real and serious threat to all who are admitted in
hospitals. Evidence based guidelines for Health Care Workers hand hygiene practice exist, but compliance with
these are internationally low (Creedon, 2005) 1. The design adopted for the study was Descriptive design. The
study was conducted in all the General medical and surgical wards. Census method was used to collect the data.
116 nurses were working in general wards of PIMS out of which 113 nurses participated in the study. Among
113 Nurses, 69.9% (79) had average compliance to hand washing practices, 21.2% (24) had good hand washing
practices and 8.8% (10) had poor washing practices and the reasons for non-compliance to hand washing
practices. 7.1% said they were too busy, 2.7% just forgot and 1.8% said the materials were not available. The
results revealed that compliance to hand washing practices was average among nurses and there is a need to
reinforce the use of standard hand washing protocols available in their wards.

KEYWORDS: Hand Washing, Compliance, WHO, Health Care Workers, Hospital Acquired Infections.

INTRODUCTION: The high prevalence of these infections, as high as 19%

Hand washing with soap and water has been considered
as a measure of personal hygiene. Infection caused due
to hospital acquired microbes is an evolving problem
worldwide. Hand washing is the practice, which keeps
the hands free from pathogens or decrease the amount
prior to any procedure or touching the patient.1
in developing countries is a challenge to health care
providers.2 A world wide systematic review found that
incidence of health care associated infection ranged from
1.7 to 23.6 per 100 patients in 2013 (Journal of Health
and Infection Society, L.N.Huss, Newyork USA). Hand
washing therefore is the most important measure to
avoid the transmission of harmful germs3.

Received on 06.05.2020 Modified on 13.06.2020 Statement of the problem:

Accepted on 15.07.2020 ©A&V Publications All right reserved “A Study to Assess Hand Washing Compliance Among
Int. J. of Advances in Nur. Management. 2021; 9(3): Nursing Professionals In General Wards Of Pondicherry
DOI: Institute Of Medical Sciences”
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 International Journal of Advances in Nursing Management. 9(3): July - September, 2021

Objectives of the Study: hand washing practices in their wards. The collected data
1. To assess the hand washing practices among nursing was used to analyze the hand washing compliance
professionals. among the Nursing Professionals.
2. To identify the reasons for non compliance in hand
washing practice among nursing professionals. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
3. To associate the compliance to hand washing Section A: Distribution of Background Variables of
practices with the background variables. Participants
Table 1: Frequency and Percentage distribution of participants
METHODS: according to the self rating of compliance to hand washing
practices n = 113
The design adopted for the study was Descriptive design. S. No. Rate Of Compliance Frequency No. %
The study was conducted in all the General medical and 1. 1 - 10% 4 3.5
surgical wards. The conceptual framework used in the 2. 11 - 40% 13 11.5
study was based on Modified Novice to Expert Model by 3. 41 - 70% 56 49.6
Patricia Benner (1984). Census method was used to 4. 71-100% 40 35.4
collect the data. 116 nurses were working in general
wards of PIMS out of which 113 nurses participated in Table 1: shows the self rating Compliance of nurses to
the study. As each staff nurse performed the hand hand washing practices. Majority 49.6% (56) of nurses
washing technique, the researcher used the WHO Hand rated their compliance between 41-70%, 35.4% (40) of
Washing Protocol checklist to observe the steps. After nurses between 71-100%, 11.5% (13) of nurses between
the hand washing procedure the participants were given 11-40% and 3.5% (4) nurses rated their compliance
the self administered questionnaire to fill, related on between 1-10%.

Section B: Distribution of Participants According to Level of Hand Washing Practices

Table 2: Percentage distribution of participants according to hand washing practices in each observation n=113
S. STEPS FOR HAND WASHING Observation 1 Observation 2 Observation 3
No. No. % No. % No. %
1. Wet Hands 113 100 113 100 113 100
2. Apply Soap 109 96.5 112 99.1 112 99.1
3. Rub Hands Palm to Palm 110 97.3 111 98.2 108 95.6
4. Palm to Palm with fingers interlaced 103 91.2 106 93.8 105 92.9
5. Interlace fingers on right hand over left 76 67.3 102 90.3 94 83.2
6. Back of fingers opposing palms, fingers interlocking 31 27.4 26 23.0 28 24.8
7. Rotational rubbing of thumb clasped in fingers 66 58.4 66 58.4 61 54.0
8. Rotational rubbing with clasped fingers in all palm 59 52.2 36 31.9 50 44.2
9. Rinse hands with water 89 78.8 105 92.9 102 90.3
10. Dry hands with towel/dryer 65 57.5 63 55.8 55 48.7
11. Use towel to turn off tap 28 24.8 18 15.9 19 16.8
12. Time taken (40-60 sec.) 41 36.3 23 20.4 23 20.4

Figure 1: Percentage distribution of participants Figure 2: Percentage distribution of participants

according to level of hand washing practices in each according to hand washing practices of all the three
observation observations
n=113 n=113

Figure 1: shows the level of hand washing practices in each Figure 2: shows the overall level of hand washing practices. 69.9%
observation. In observation 1 57.5% (65) nurses, in observation 2 (79) had average compliance hand washing practices, 21.2% (24)
68.1% (77) nurses and in observation 3 64.6 (73) nurses had had good and 8.8% (10) had poor hand washing practices.
average compliance to hand washing practices respectively.

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 International Journal of Advances in Nursing Management. 9(3): July - September, 2021

Section C: distribution of participant’s accordng to REFERENCES:

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Table 3: Percentage distribution of participants according to the attitude and practice of hand washing among HCWs in Ain-Shams
reasons for non-compliance to hand Washing Practices. n= 13 University Hospital in Cario. The Egyptian Journal of community
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No.
1. Just Forgot 3 2.7
2. Too busy 8 7.1
3. Materials not available 2 1.8

Table 3 reveals that, out of 13 the majority 7.1% (8)

participants gave reasons that they were too busy, 2.7%
(3) said that they just forgot and 1.8% (2) said that
materials were not available at a particular moment for
hand washing practice.

CONCLUSION:
The present study assessed the hand washing compliance
among nursing professionals in general wards. The study
findings revealed that majority of nurses had average
hand washing compliance. Therefore, the study
concludes that there is a need for reinforcement of hand
washing practices among nurses in all wards. By
implementing WHO hand washing protocol in each ward
nosocomial infection can be prevented and nurses will
have better compliance to hand washing practices.

BOOKS:
1. Lippincott William and Wilkins (2010), Hospital
Acquired Infections Prevention and Control; 1st
edition; Wolters kluwer publication
2. Jaya Kuruvilla (2007) Essentials of Critical Care
Nursing; 1st edition; Jaypee brother’s medical
publishers (P) LTD New Delhi.
3