Use of Personal Protective Equipment and Hand Hygiene Practices of a State Hospital Workers in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Observational Study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to observe the use of personal protective equipment and hand hygiene practices of healthcare personnel working in pandemic clinics.
 Methods: It is a descriptive and observational study. The research was conducted in the clinics of a pandemic hospital between 01.10.2020 and 31.12.2020. Personal Protective Equipment Usage and Hand Hygiene Compliance Data Collection Form was used. Data were collected by researchers who were infection control nurses, and 171 healthcare workers were observed. Percentage calculation and chi-square test were used in the analysis of the data.
 Results: In the patient care area, it was determined that personal protective equipment, excluding glasses/face protectors, was fully worn. 6.4% of employees did not remove goggles/face protectors, and 5.3% did not remove surgical masks/N95 masks when leaving the patient area. Practices in the pandemic intensive care unit (wearing the equipment correctly: 88.5%, correct removal: 85.2%) were more in line with guidelines than clinics (correct wearing: 64.5%, correct removal: 65.1%) (p=.001, p=.005). Compliance with hand hygiene is 69% before contact with the patient; 52.6% before aseptic procedure; 61.4% after contact with body fluid; 77.7% after contact with the patient; 73.1% after contact with the environment. Hand hygiene compliance was found to be moderate in pandemic units.
 Conclusions: In our study, it was determined that personal protective equipment was available in the clinics, the use of goggles/face protection was inadequate, all personal protective equipment was not removed when leaving the patient area, and personal protective equipment was used more appropriately in intensive care units and hand hygiene practices were generally moderate level. In the pandemic process, institutions should conduct more frequent training and make more observations on the use of personal protective equipment and hand hygiene.