Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: December | Volume: 9 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 97-103
Knowledge and Practice of Hand Hygiene among Undergraduate Nurses in College of Medicine University of Lagos
I. Y Ademuyiwa1, A.A Farotimi1, W. A Afolabi2, Y.O Quadri1
1Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine,
University of Lagos, Idi Araba, Lagos.
2School of Post Basic Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing, Federal, Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos.
Corresponding Author: I. Y Ademuyiwa
ABSTRACT
Background: Hand hygiene practices of health care workers have been shown to be an effective measure in preventing hospital infections. Despite the simplicity of the procedure, health care providers’ compliance with hand hygiene is poor.
Objective: To assess the knowledge and compliance of hand hygiene practice among undergraduate nurses in CMUL.
Materials and Methods: The study adopted descriptive cross-sectional study. World Health Organization Hand Hygiene Questionnaire for Health Care Workers was administered to elicit information from the respondents and analysis was done using SPSS version 21.Categorical variables were tested for statistical significance using chi-square at 0.05 p-values.
Results: One hundred and forty-one (141) respondents had a good knowledge of hand hygiene compliance, 51 (36.2%) of the respondents demonstrated good practice of hand hygiene compliance while 90 (63.8%) of the respondents’ practice of hand hygiene compliance was poor. There was a statistically significant association between the respondent’s academic level and knowledge on hand hygiene compliance (p< 0.001) and between the respondent’s knowledge and practice on hand hygiene compliance (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: The study concluded that academic level and knowledge of respondents positively impacts on compliance with hand hygiene practices. Therefore, undergraduate nursing curriculum should emphasis this important infection control technique.
Key words: Hand hygiene compliance, Knowledge, Practice, Undergraduates.