Oulu University of Applied Sciences Degree Programme in Nursing and Health Care, Registered Nurse

Authors: Mira Pihlajaniemi, Sonja Puisto, Petra Suhonen ja Sami Venäläinen Title of thesis: Health Care Workers’ Knowledge of Hand Hygiene Concerning Treatment of Infec-tion Portal of Entry Supervisors: Terttu Koskela, Nina Männistö Term and year when the thesis was submitted: Autumn 2015 Number of pages: 37+6 appen-dices

Health care–associated infections are a serious patient safety issue. Healthcare workers can prevent infections and transmission of pathogenic micro-organisms by good hand hygiene be-cause clean hands do not contaminate the patients with microbes.

The aim of this study was to describe the knowledge of hand hygiene and hand hygiene realiza-tion in the treatment of the infection portal of entry in Oulu University Hospital.

Data were collected in two phases. In the first part healthcare workers had to fill in a question-naire about hand condition, hand disinfection and the use of protection gloves for two weeks. Answer alternatives were yes or no. Observations of hand hygiene skills were carried out in four wards for two weeks. There were 15 observations in each ward. In observation the attention was paid to hand condition, hand disinfection method, jewelry and watches on the hands. The ques-tionnaire was responded by 115 persons and 60 persons were observed. Results were analyzed using the Webropol 2.0 Online Survey and Analysis Software.

Results revealed that healthcare workers` hand hygiene knowledge was mostly good. There were only a few wrong answers. However, carrying out the hand hygiene technique was inadequate. The main issue was the use of protection gloves. For example, protection gloves were used with-out hand disinfection. Use of jewelry, watches and rings was very minimum. Hand hygiene skills can be improved with the help of education.

One of the developmental goals is to educate the healthcare workers and ensue realization of hand hygiene more effectively. Good hand hygiene realization improves patient safety.