Knowledge, attitude, and practice of hand hygiene students at Holy Family NMTC, Berekum

Abstract

The study focused on the knowledge, attitude, and practice of handwashing among Nursing and Midwifery students at Holy Family NMTC, Berekum. A descriptive study design was used to collect in-depth information for the study. The sample population was obtained using a simple random sampling technique. A total of 50 students were sampled for the study. The data for the study was collected by administering the questionnaire to the participants. The study found that the majority of respondents (54%) agreed that handwashing prevents the direct transfer of infectious pathogens. Eighty-six percent (86%) of the respondents mentioned that the most effective handwashing method is washing hands with antiseptic/antibacterial soap and water. The majority of the respondents (58%) agreed that hand hygiene kills viruses existing in our hands. The majority of the respondents (52%) rated their overall compliance with handwashing to be moderate.The study recommended that student nurses need to be aware of the importance of hand hygiene and the negative effects that will be caused when it is not followed. The study concluded that self-reported handwashing compliance was high and the majority of the respondents mentioned that the most effective handwashing method is washing hands with antiseptic/antibacterial soap and water