The hand hygiene compliance of student nurses during clinical placements.
OBJECTIVE
To observe student nurses' overall and moment-specific hand hygiene compliance during clinical placement.


BACKGROUND
Hand hygiene is the single most important measure to prevent healthcare-associated infections. However, research has shown low compliance among healthcare workers. During clinical placements, student nurses perform various nursing tasks and procedures to a large number of patients, requiring extensive patient contact. It is crucial that they practice correct hand hygiene to prevent healthcare-associated infections.


METHODS
Open, standardised and nonparticipating observations.


METHODS
Twenty-nine student nurses were observed three times for 20 ± 10 min during clinical placement in a Norwegian university hospital. To measure compliance, we used WHO's Hand Hygiene Observation tool, based on the model "My five moments for hand hygiene".


RESULTS
Overall hand hygiene compliance in the student group was 83.5%. Highest moment-specific compliance was after touching patient surroundings, after touching patients and after body fluid exposure risk. Lowest moment-specific compliance was recorded before touching patients or patient surroundings, and before clean/aseptic procedures.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurse education needs to be improved both theoretically and during clinical placements in order to advance and sustain compliance among student nurses.


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing healthcare workers' compliance with hand hygiene guidelines remains a challenge to the clinical community. In order to reduce healthcare-associated infections, it is important to educate student nurses to comply with the guidelines during clinical placements. Identifying student nurses' hand hygiene performance is the first step towards developing teaching methods to improve and sustain their overall and moment-specific compliance. As a measure to ensure student compliance during clinical placements, mentors should be aware of their influence on students' performance, act as hand hygiene ambassadors, encourage students to comply with established guidelines and provide regular feedback.
Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Jorun Saetre
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9770-954X
JS
Sundal
Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Anne Grethe
AG
Aune
Department of Infection Control, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Eline
E
Storvig
Department of Infection Control, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Jenny Kristin
JK
Aasland
Department of Infection Control, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Kaja Linn
KL
Fjeldsaeter
Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Kirsti
K
Torjuul
D000328:Adult; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards*; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013338:Students, Nursing; D055815:Young Adult
clinical placement; compliance; hand hygiene; infection control; observational study; student nurses; “My five moments”