Avaliação da técnica e adesão à higiene de mãos no centro de materiais e esterilização

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Hand hygiene should be encouraged among the nursing team of the materials and sterilization center, as various processes can be sources of microorganism transmission. The objective is to assess the quality of hand hygiene technique and adherence in the materials and sterilization center, according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization. Methods: This is an observational, descriptive, and prospective study, in which weekly visits were conducted from February to May 2023. On-site direct observation was used, followed by notes on an adapted form. Results: Out of 364 observations made, only 91 (25%) performed hand hygiene, and only 7 (1.9%) executed the correct technique. Moments with the highest adherence were upon arrival at the unit (35.1%), upon leaving the unit (12.1%), and before handling packaging and health products. Among the supplies used, liquid soap had the highest frequency (51.6%). Males showed higher adherence compared to females (p<0.01). Conclusion: Adherence to hand hygiene was low among the nursing staff, and few executed the correct technique according to the steps recommended by the World Health Organization. The results underscore the need for awareness-raising and training actions regarding this preventive measure in the materials and sterilization center.