Background and aims: Hand hygiene is the most important measure in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HCAI). Adherence to hand hygiene protocols in hospital by nurses enables in prevention and control the HCAI. The main aim of the present study was to assess nurses' compliance to hand hygiene practice and knowledge in a hospital.
Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the intensive care units of a hospital in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 84 registered nurses from the intensive care were recruited for this study. A self-administered questionnaire was deployed to measure knowledge and compliance about hand hygiene.
Results: The findings showed the total mean and standard deviation of knowledge (60.65±4.213) and compliance (84.65±7.024) to be high among the respondents. There were no significant differences with the knowledge and compliance to hand hygiene with respondents' age groups with a p value >0.05. However, there were significant differences between respondents' years of service with the knowledge and compliance with p values <0.05. The results showed significant differences between respondents' with post basic course with compliance to hand hygiene with a p value <0.05 actual p value added (p = 0.001). There were no significant differences between the respondents' post basic course with knowledge to hand hygiene with p values >0.05 actual p value added (p=0.072).
Conclusion: Nurses compliance to hand hygiene practice and knowledge was good. Nurses' years of service have great implications on compliance to hand hygiene practice. The study opines that constant reinforcement and motivation are required by the hospital infection control team to impart hand hygiene practice.