[Compliance with handwashing in health care settings].
Many studies report low compliance with handwashing in health care settings, even if it is considered an important factor to reduce cross transmission.


METHODS
Observational study in University Hospital with external observers.


RESULTS
The observers recorded 1262 opportunities for handwashing among 49 nurses. The average of the opportunities was 8,8 handwashing/hour (d.s. +/- 5.05, range 0 divided by 23). The compliance was 19,3%. Compliance was higher in intensive care unit (25,6 %) than in medical ward (18,1 %) and surgical ward (13,9 %). There were no difference between males (19 %) and females (19.4%). Compliance with handwashing was significantly better in post procedure (34%) than in pre procedure (10.6%) and was worst when the workload was higher.


CONCLUSIONS
The study confirms the low adhesion to handwashing international recommendations and suggests to adopt "ad hoc" educational programs and suitable structural/operative conditions.
Chittaro
M
M
Cattedra di Igiene, Dipartimento di Patologia e Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università degli Studi di Udine.
Coiz
F
F
Faruzzo
A
A
Fiappo
E
E
Palese
A
A
Viale
P
P
Brusaferro
S
S
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007388:Internal Medicine; D008297:Male; D009726:Nurses; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital; D013997:Time Factors