Knowledge, Beliefs and Practices of Nurses and Nursing Students for Hand Hygiene

Abstract

Background: The current study aimed to determine the knowledge, beliefs, and practices of nurses and nursing students for hand hygiene. Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of 340 subjects (164 nurses and 176 nursing students). Data collection tools included the hand hygiene belief scale and the hand hygiene practices inventory (HHPI). Chi-square and independent samples T-tests were used for data analysis. Results: The mean scores of the HHPI were 66.36 ± 7.08 and 64.52 ± 4.90 for nurses and the students, respectively; the difference between the measures was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The mean scores of the nurses and the students for hand hygiene importance were 13.38 ± 1.75 and 13.29 ± 1.81, for hand hygiene beliefs were 71.87 ± 8.35 and 73.00 ± 7.54, and for hand hygiene knowledge were 33.81 ± 2.89 and 34.26 ± 2.23, respectively. Although approximately 90.2% of the subjects in both groups were trained in hand hygiene, the influence of training on students was proportionally higher than that of nurses; while compliance with the principles of hand hygiene and beliefs in its importance in infection control were significantly higher in nurses. Conclusions: There was a moderate level of knowledge, practices, perceives and beliefs in nurses and students for the importance of hand hygiene. Compliance with the importance of hand hygiene in infection control is complex, and perceptual factors concerning hand hygiene, in addition to an individual’s knowledge could affect the behaviors related to hand hygiene compliance.