Korean J Nosocomial Infect Control.  2011 Jun;16(1):18-28.

Hand-Washing Practices Followed by Health Care Workers in a Tertiary Care Hospital Depending on Their Carriage Status for Nasally Transmitted Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

• Lee SE
• Kim MJ
• Sohn JW
• Chun BC

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Hospital-wide surveillance showed an up to 9% increase in the incidence rate of the nasal transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among health care workers (HCWs) in a tertiary care hospital where MRSA is endemic. The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge of and attitude towards nasal transmission of MRSA and hand-washing practice among HCWs and determine the behavioral factors associated with the nasal transmission of MRSA.
METHODS
In a 750-bed tertiary care hospital, nasal swabs from HCWs were obtained, and questionnaires with 25 questions were distributed to HCWs who were divided into 2 different groups: MRSA carriers and non-carriers. The questionnaires focused on the HCWs' knowledge about the mode of MRSA transmission and precautions against MRSA infection and their self-reported compliance for hand hygiene.
RESULTS
The total number of respondents for the surveillance culture and survey were 253 (51 MRSA carriers and 202 non-carriers). There was significant difference between the 2 groups on the knowledge of precautionary measures used for the MRSA patients in the hospital (P=0.026). Compared to the MRSA carriers, the non-carriers washed their hands significantly more frequently after ventilator care (P=0.004) and used more alcohol sanitizers (P=0.023). However, no significant difference was observed in hand-washing practices of both the groups before the medical procedures, their knowledge about the mode of transmission of MRSA, and the duration of hand washing.
CONCLUSION
Non-carriers replied more accurately to the questions on knowledge about the management and treatment of MRSA, and they considered interventions such as surveillance cultures and questionnaires to be an effective method in lowering the incidence of nosocomial infections. Compared to the MRSA carriers, the non-carriers showed higher hand-washing compliance.

Keyword

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); Hand washing; Cross-sectional study; Drug resistance; Bacterial

MeSH Terms

Compliance
Cross Infection
Cross-Sectional Studies
Surveys and Questionnaires
Delivery of Health Care
Drug Resistance
Hand
Hand Disinfection
Humans
Incidence
Methicillin Resistance
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Tertiary Healthcare
Ventilators, Mechanical