Hand hygiene compliance among health care staff and student nurses in a mental health setting.
Hand hygiene practice among health care workers is considered to be the single most effective method of preventing nosocomial infection in hospital settings. Infection control practices in psychiatric facilities are particularly challenging as hand hygiene protocols are specific to acute care facilities, areas where hands are visibly soiled, and when procedures are completed that may involve body fluid exposure. The inability to motivate and change the hand washing practices of health care workers suggests that hand washing behaviour is complex, involving individual beliefs and attitudes and institutional commitment and rigor.
Ott
Marilyn
M
Fanshawe College, School of Nursing, London, Ontario, N4S 7V9 Canada. mott@fanshawec.ca
French
Rachel
R
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019985:Benchmarking; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D009042:Motivation; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012951:Socialization; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology