Compliance with the handwashing protocol by nursing professionals in a health service of the city of Encarnacion, March-July 2019

Abstract

Compliance of handwashing protocol avoid nosocomial infections, while non-compliance causes consequences such as increased morbidity and mortality, hospital stay, additional cost to the health system and the patient. This can be prevented with handwashing which emerged as a theory in ancient times. This study was descriptive observational with quantitative approach and was carried out in 24 nurses at a health service in the city of Encarnacion in order to evaluate the compliance of handwashing protocol, established in the Infection Prevention and Control Manual associated to Health Care of 2017 of the Ministry of Health Care and Social Welfare. The results showed 54% of non-compliance in the handwashing technique, 44% of partial non-compliance and just 2% of compliance. In relation to the five moments of handwashing technique, 85% did not follow all the steps and 70% did not receive training regarding to the hand washing technique in the last 2 years. A high percentage of non-compliance with the hand washing technique protocol was evidenced, which represents a health risk, which can be corrected with training or feedback workshops for nursing professionals