EVALUATION OF HAND HYGIENE COMPLIANCE AMONG UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS DURING CLINICAL WARD ROTATIONS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Keywords:
Cross-Sectional Studies, Hand Hygiene, Hospitals, Infection Control, Nursing Students, Patient Safety.Abstract
Background: Hand hygiene is a cornerstone of infection prevention and control in healthcare settings, yet compliance remains suboptimal across many professional groups. Nursing students, as future frontline caregivers, are particularly important to monitor because habits formed during clinical training often persist into professional practice.
Objective: To investigate the level of compliance with hand hygiene protocols among undergraduate nursing students during their clinical ward rotations in teaching hospitals of Islamabad.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over five months among 210 randomly selected third- and fourth-year nursing students. Data were collected through structured covert observations using the World Health Organization’s “Five Moments for Hand Hygiene” checklist and a validated self-administered questionnaire assessing demographic factors and perceived barriers. Descriptive statistics summarized compliance rates, and independent sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and chi-square tests were applied to compare subgroup differences. Ethical approval was obtained from the institutional review board, and written informed consent was secured from all participants.
Results: The overall hand hygiene compliance rate was 62.0%. Compliance was highest after body fluid exposure (71.0%) and lowest after contact with patient surroundings (52.9%). Female students (64.8%) and fourth-year students (66.7%) demonstrated significantly higher adherence compared with male students (59.2%) and third-year students (60.1%) (p < 0.05). Intensive care unit rotations were associated with the highest compliance (70.4%), while pediatric wards showed the lowest (58.9%).
Conclusion: The findings indicate moderate compliance among nursing students, with significant variations across clinical contexts, academic levels, and gender. Targeted educational strategies and stronger clinical supervision are needed to reinforce adherence to infection prevention standards and foster long-term professional hygiene practices.
References
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