Hand hygiene practice among nurses in the emergency department at selected hospital in makkah al mukaramah

Background: Hand hygiene is the single most important preventive measure for reducing nosocomial infections, however, nurses frequently do not wash their hands in emergency departments. Aim: This study was carried out to assess hand hygiene practice among nurses in the emergency department. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted including a convenience sample of 60 staff nurses in the emergency department at selected hospital in Makkah Al-Mukaramah. Data were collected through a predesigned questionnaire to assess hand hygiene practice among nurses in the emergency department. Results: The results of the present study revealed that there is statistically significant relationship between the nursing shifting and after touching contaminated surfaces. Also, there is statistically significant relationship between nursing shifting and the uses of alchol-chlornexidine hand rub (ACHR)/ soap in the morning, afternoon, and in the night. Conclusion and Recommendations: The nurses’ practice towards hand hygiene in the emergency department (ED) needs to be improved by the educational program approach. Based on the findings of the study, the researchers recommend providing written guidelines about hand hygiene for all healthcare providers and introducing and demonstrating hand hygiene protocols to all caregivers.