Percepciones de los profesionales de cuidados intensivos sobre la higiene de manos en comparación con estudios observacionales

Abstract

Objetivo: Identificar percepciones y conocimientos sobre la adherencia a la higiene de manos de los profesionales sanitarios de unidades de cuidados intensivos, correlacionándolos con las cifras de cumplimiento en la adherencia a la higiene de manos reportado en estudios observacionales. Resultados: Esos 187 profesionales, el 75,9% de la UCI-A, constituían más del 80% de la población de estudio; el 91,4% había recibido formación previa sobre la higiene de manos. En relación con sus conocimientos, el 35,5% de la UCI-A y el 48,6% de la UCI-P consideran que el lavado de manos es más eficaz que la fricción de manos con solución de base alcohólica contra los microorganismos. Tienen la percepción de que realizan correctamente la higiene de manos (89,32% UCI-P y 82,93% UCI-A) en mayor medida que cuando la comparamos a las tasas de adherencia obtenidas mediante observación directa (UCI-P 73,8% y UCI-A 51,4%; p=0,0001). Conclusiones: A pesar de tener formación previa sobre la higiene de manos, sus conocimientos son incompletos y, a pesar de que sobrestiman el problema de las infecciones relacionadas con la atención sanitaria, tienen una percepción que no se ajusta a la realidad.

Objetive: To identify perceptions and knowledge about the adherence to hand hygiene of the healthcare staff of an intensive care unit, correlating them with compliance data on adherence to hand hygiene through observational studies. Material and method: A quantitative methodology has been combined, based on the completion of a personal survey, and a qualitative methodology based on direct observation. Units of Intensive Care of Adults (A-ICU) and Pediatrics (P-ICU) of a tertiary hospital. There were 187 health professionals. Personal and work data of the professionals were collected, as well as questions related to their knowledge and perceptions about the hand hygiene. Results: Those 187 professionals, 75,9% from A-ICU, represented more than 80% of the study population, and 91.4% had received previous training on hand hygiene. Regarding knowledge, 35% of the A-ICU professionals and almost 50% from the P-ICU consider that hand washing is more effective than hand friction with alcohol-based solutions for the elimination of microorganisms. They have a better perception that they correctly perform the hand washing (89.32% ICU-P and 82.93% ICU-A), than when we compare them to the adherence rates obtained by direct observation (ICU-P 73.8% and ICU-A 51.4%, P = 0.0001). Conclusions: Despite having previous training on hand hygiene, they have incomplete knowledge and, although they overestimate the problem of the healthcare-associated infections, they have a perception that does not fit with reality.