‘We do not wash hands’: Barriers to the maintenance of five moments of hand hygiene among learner nurses at a university in Limpopo province, South Africa

Abstract

The provision of quality patient care involves adequate infection control measures in healthcare institutions which is achievable through the maintenance of five moments of hand hygiene. Although there is growing awareness of the importance of proper hand hygiene in healthcare settings, empirical data indicate that there has not been a corresponding rise in the proper practice. Healthcare professionals including learner nurses frequently complain about obstacles that hinder them from effectively maintaining five moments of hand hygiene. We investigated the barriers to the maintenance of five moments of hand hygiene among learner nurses at a University in Limpopo province, South Africa. The study was qualitative using an explorative, descriptive research design. Data were collected from learner nurses using individual interviews. Tesch’s open coding method was utilized to analyze data. The findings revealed that there are limited resources in clinical facilities, related to the shortage of water supply, inadequate handwashing equipment, and shortage of supplies. The study also revealed that there is a high and heavy workload with limited human resources. The study suggests that healthcare settings need adequate resources to maintain five moments of hand hygiene.