The practice of hand hygiene in the maternities of the public hospitals of Lubumbashi

Abstract

Introduction: The objective of this study was to evaluate the practice of hand hygiene in the maternities of the public hospitals of Lubumbashi. Method and techniques: We carried out a cross-sectional descriptive study in which the population consisted on the one hand of the technical rooms of the maternity hospitals and the operating rooms for cesarean sections and on the other hand the nurses responsible for these maternities. The observation technique using an observation guide of the WHO model allowed us to collect the data. Results: Hand hygiene was not properly carried out in the maternity wards of Lubumbashi's public hospitals. Most of the prerequisites before hand washing and hydro-alcoholic hand rubbing were not respected, the prerequisites for surgical hand washing were observed only at 21.4%:e wearing of short-sleeved clothing (43.0%),absence of jewelry (78.6%), short nails without varnish and false nails (50.0%). In the absence of hydroalcoholic solution (SHA) (71.4%) for the friction, they used denatured alcohol (28.6%). The duration of soaping and friction was in an interval between 11 to 20 seconds or 42.9% and that of hygienic hand washing was observed at 28.6%. The duration of surgical and antiseptic hand washing was 21 to 40 seconds to 35.7%. Only 21.4% of the departments surveyed had used the broad-spectrum antiseptic foaming solution, no structure had a sterile disposable brush for hygienic and surgical hand washing, 2/14 departments surveyed had sterile disposable towels, the water used had not undergone bacteriological control and only one service, ie 7.1%, which had non-manually operated bins. Conclusion: Hand hygiene is not properly carried out in maternity hospitals in Lubumbashi's public hospitals, due to a lack of equipment and knowledge on this practice, equipment must be provided and staff trained in hand hygiene.