title: Factors Affecting Hand Hygiene Adherence at a Private Hospital in Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nosocomial infections are the main problems rising morbidity and mortality in health care settings. Hand hygiene is the most effective method for preventing these infections. In this study, we aimed to investigate the factors related with hand hygiene adherence at a private hospital in Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted between March and June 2010 at a private hospital in Turkey. During the observation period, employees were informed about training, then posters and images were hanged in specific places of the hospital. After the initial observation, training on nosocomial infections and hand hygiene was provided to the hospital staff in March 2010. Contacts were classified according to occupational groups and whether invasive or not. These observations were evaluated in terms of compatibility with hand hygiene guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hand hygiene adherence rate of trained doctors was higher than untrained ones before patient contact and after environment contact [48% (35/73) versus 82% (92/113) p<0.05 and 23% (5/22) versus 76% (37/49) p<0.05 respectively]. Hand hygiene adherence rate of trained nurses was higher than untrained ones before patient contact [63% (50/79) versus 76% (37/49) p<0.05]. Hand hygiene adherence rate of trained assistant health personnel was higher than untrained ones before asepsis [20% (2/10) versus 73% (16/22) p<0.05]. In addition, it was seen that hand antiseptics were used when hand washing was not possible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increase at the rate of hand washing after training reveals the importance of feedback of the observations, as well as the training. One of the most important ways of preventing nosocomial infections is hand hygiene training that should be continued with feedbacks.
authors.affiliation: Infection Control Committee, Private Nisa Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bahri
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Teker
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogutlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Dr. Münif Islamoglu Kastamonu State Hospital, Kastamonu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan Tahsin
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Gozdas
authors.affiliation: Infection Control Committee, Private Nisa Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Saliha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruayercan
authors.affiliation: Infection Control Committee, Private Nisa Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulizar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hacialioglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oguz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karabay
keywords: Hand hygiene adherence; feedback; observation; training