Compliance of hand hygiene practices in operating rooms by care workers: A preliminary observational study

Abstract

Context: Hand hygiene is the most important measure to prevent healthcare-associated infections. As part of a major global effort to improve hand hygiene in health care, the SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands annual global campaign was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2009. The “My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene” approach by the WHO defines the key moments when health-care workers should perform hand hygiene. Aims: This is a preliminary observational study to monitor the level of adherence to hand hygiene practice by health-care workers (HCWs) in an operating room. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the surgery operation theater (OT) of our hospital. Direct observation of various personnel working in the OT was done by a single-trained observer. The time of observation was taken from the transfer of the patient on the OT table to the draping of the patient by the surgeon. The hand hygiene opportunities (HHO) as stated by WHO My 5 moments of hand hygiene were noted. Results and Conclusion: A total of 524 HHO were observed among health-care workers, among which 301 were missed and 223 were utilized. Out of the opportunities used were moments 3 and 4, which are primarily for the personal protection of Healthcare workers. Overall compliance of hand hygiene is very low among health-care professionals in the OT. There is an urgent need to educate the health-care personnel about “5 moments of hand hygiene” and ensure strict compliance to ensure patient's safety.