<b>Hand washing: adhesion of health professionals in a newborn intensive care unit</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascihealthsci.v25i2.2224

Abstract

Study aiming to evaluate the technique, the moment and the adhesion of hands washing in a newborn ICU (intensive care unit) of a public hospital in Goiânia, state of Goiás, Brazil. The sample was constituted by health care working staff in this unit, in the period of the study. Data were collected through direct observation using a check list. The results showed that 100% of the nursing, phonoaudiologyst and physiotherapy teams adhered to hands washing, however most of them use an incorrect technique. The professionals who showed larger adhesion were those who spend more time in ICU; nevertheless, the professionals who go to ICU to accomplish fast procedures as, blood collection and x-rays showed lower adhesion to hands washing. The technicians of the blood bank did not adhesion in this procedure. We conclude that in spite of the high adhesion to hands washing from professionals who spend more time in ICU, they rarely use the correct technique and they did not do it before and after each procedure, evidencing the need to improve strategies that develop better understanding and training about this important act to control hospital infection.