Hand hygiene technique quality evaluation in nursing and medicine students of two academic courses.

OBJECTIVE: because they are health professionals, nursing and medical students' hands during internships can function as a transmission vehicle for hospital-acquired infections. METHOD: a descriptive study with nursing and medical degree students on the quality of the hand hygiene technique, which was assessed via a visual test using a hydroalcoholic solution marked with fluorescence and an ultraviolet lamp. RESULTS: 546 students were assessed, 73.8% from medicine and 26.2% from nursing. The area of the hand with a proper antiseptic distribution was the palm (92.9%); areas not properly scrubbed were the thumbs (55.1%). 24.7% was very good in both hands, 29.8% was good, 25.1% was fair, and 20.3% was poor. The worst assessed were the male, nursing and first year students. There were no significant differences in the age groups. CONCLUSIONS: hand hygiene technique is not applied efficiently. Education plays a key role in setting a good practice base in hand hygiene, theoretical knowledge, and in skill development, as well as good practice reinforcement.

Hand hygiene technique quality evaluation in nursing and medicine students of two academic courses / Avaliação da qualidade da técnica de higiene das mãos em alunos de enfermagem e medicina em dois cursos de graduação / Evaluación de la calidad de la técnica de higiene de manos en alumnos de enfermería y medicina en dos cursos académicos

AbstractObjective: because they are health professionals, nursing and medical students' hands during internships can function as a transmission vehicle for hospital-acquired infections.Method: a descriptive study with nursing and medical degree students on the quality of the hand hygiene technique, which was assessed via a visual test using a hydroalcoholic solution marked with fluorescence and an ultraviolet lamp.Results: 546 students were assessed, 73.8% from medicine and 26.2% from nursing. The area of the hand with a proper antiseptic distribution was the palm (92.9%); areas not properly scrubbed were the thumbs (55.1%). 24.7% was very good in both hands, 29.8% was good, 25.1% was fair, and 20.3% was poor. The worst assessed were the male, nursing and first year students. There were no significant differences in the age groups.Conclusions: hand hygiene technique is not applied efficiently. Education plays a key role in setting a good practice base in hand hygiene, theoretical knowledge, and in skill development, as well as good practice reinforcement.

ResumoObjetivo:assim como as mãos dos professionais de saúde, as mãos dos estudantes de Enfermagem e Medicina durante os estágios clínicos podem funcionar como veículo de transmissão das infecções hospitalares.Método:estudo descritivo com estudantes de Graduação em Enfermagem e Medicina. Avaliou-se a qualidade da técnica de higiene das mãos por meio de prova visual a partir de solução hidro-alcoólica marcada com fluoresceína e lâmpada de luz ultravioleta.Resultados:avaliaram-se 546 alunos, 73,8% da Graduação em Medicina e 26,2% da Enfermagem. As áreas das mãos com correta distribuição de sabão foram as palmas (92,9%); as áreas não esfregadas corretamente foram os polegares (55,1%). Em ambas as mãos, a higienização foi muito boa em 24,7%, boa em 29,8%, regular em 25,1% e má em 20,3%. Os piores foram: os homens, os estudantes de Enfermagem e os estudantes do primeiro ano de escola. Não houve diferenças significativas por idade.Conclusões:a técnica de higiene de mãos não foi realizada de modo eficaz. O papel educativo é fundamental para sedimentar as bases de boas práticas na higienização das mãos, em conhecimentos teóricos e no desenvolvimento de habilidades e reforço de boas práticas.

ResumenObjetivo:al igual que los profesionales sanitarios, las manos de los estudiantes de enfermería y medicina durante las estancias clínicas pueden funcionar como vehículo de trasmisión de las infecciones nosocomiales.Método:estudio descriptivo con estudiantes de Grado de Enfermería y de Medicina. Se evaluó la calidad de la técnica de la higiene de manos por prueba visual con solución hidroalcohólica marcada con fluoresceína y lámpara de luz ultravioleta.Resultados:se evaluó a 546 alumnos, Grado de Medicina 73,8% y 26,2% de Enfermería. Las zonas de las manos con una correcta distribución de desinfectante fueron las palmas (92,9%); las no frotadas correctamente fueron los pulgares (55,1%). En ambas manos fue muy buena en el 24,7%, buena en el 29,8%, regular en 25,1% y mala en 20,3%. Los peores han sido: los hombres, los estudiantes de enfermería y los de primer año de estudio. No hubo diferencias significativas por edad.Conclusiones:no se realizó la técnica de higiene de manos de una manera eficaz. El papel de la educación es fundamental para sentar las bases de buenas prácticas en higiene de manos, en conocimientos teóricos y en el desarrollo de habilidades y el refuerzo de buenas prácticas.

Conocimiento de la higiene de manos en estudiantes de enfermería / Knowledge of hand hygiene in nursing students

Las manos de los estudiantes de enfermería pueden ser el vector de la infección nosocomial. La mejora en el conocimiento sobre la higiene de manos (HM) reduce la infección nosocomial. Para ello debemos conocer el grado de adherencia al protocolo de lavado de manos (LM) por parte de los alumnos de enfermería Para ello se pasó un cuestionario estructurado de la OMS para profesionales de salud, antes y después de llevar a cabo un taller formativo. Han participado en el Estudio un total de 63 alumnos de dos cursos de grado en enfermería de la Universidad de Extremadura (UEX), con una predominancia del sector femenino en 76,2 % (48) y 23,8 % (15) para el masculino.Se obtuvo datos muy significativos (p<0,015) en el cuestionario en P9a (0,012), P9b (0,000), P10 (0,000), P11 e (0,005), P11f (0,002). Los estudiantes tienen un conocimiento moderado sobre HM. El estudio muestra la necesidad de seguir mejorando los programas de formación de HM existentes, para hacer frente a las lagunas en los conocimientos y obtener unos enfermeros altamente cualificados en el futuro (AU)

Nursing students’ hands can be the vector of nosocomial infection. Improving knowledge about hand hygiene (HM) reduces nosocomial infection. This is the reason we must know the degree of adherence to hand washing protocol (LM) by nursing students For this purpose, a WHO structured questionnaire for health professionals was done before and after putting a training workshop into practice. A total of 63 students from two nursing degree courses of UEX have participated in the study, with female sector predominance 76.2% (48) and 23.8% (15) for the male. Very significant data were obtained (p <0.015) in the questionnaire P9a (0.012), P9B (0,000) P10 (0,000) P11 and (0.005), P11f (0.002). Students have a moderate knowledge about HM. The study shows the need to improve existing HM training programs, to address gaps in knowledge and to obtain highly qualified nurses in the future (AU)