Cumplimiento y adherencia a la higiene de manos en trabajadores de la salud de un hospital de Yucatán

Abstract

Background: Hand hygiene (HH) is effective for infection control, but its performance is poor in health-care workers (HCW). Methods: Study to evaluate the WHO technique and adherence to HH in a third-level hospital in Yucatán, Mexico. Data from evaluation certificates and "shadow" studies were analyzed and expressed in tables and graphs. Results: 406 HCW were evaluated for technique and 141 for adherence. Overall Compliance was 89.2% (satisfactory), being lower for cleaning (66%) and inhalation therapy (77%) teams. The lowest indicator was "hygiene time," with 55.4% (precarious). Overall Adherence was 61.4% (minimum), with physicians (12%) and residents and interns (6%) being less adherent than nursing staff (69%). The moments of fewer adherence were "after contact with fluids/secretions" (56.5%) and "after contact with the patient" (47.6%). Conclusions: Low adherence at critical moments during patient-care means that HCW did not extend the protection to themselves. Lack of motivation and professional attitude could be the cause of these results.