Practical evaluation of hand washing by health professionals through playful-educative actions

Reconhecida como a mais importante medida de preven????o no controle das infec????es hospitalares, a lavagem das m??os h?? muito vem sendo estimulada nos hospitais. Este estudo objetivou analisar a pr??tica da lavagem das m??os pelos profissionais de sa??de, mediante a????es l??dico-educativas sobre o tema. Em maio de 2003, foi realizado o Dia Nacional de Controle de Infec????es Hospitalares, no Instituto Fernandes Figueira, Rio de Janeiro. Durante esse evento, uma pia foi montada especialmente para os participantes realizarem a lavagem b??sica das m??os. Atrav??s de m??todo observacional estruturado, foram observados 50 profissionais, em car??ter volunt??rio. S??o resultados: baixo desempenho t??cnico, com inobserv??ncia da retirada de adornos (84%) e aplica????o do sab??o l??quido sem que as m??os estivessem molhadas (56%). A maioria (80%) utilizou tempo superior ao recomendado (15 segundos), n??o realizando a lavagem de forma completa (54%). Concluiu-se que, apesar das freq??entes campanhas educativas e oferta de produtos adequados, os profissionais n??o realizam a t??cnica a contento.Hand washing is recognized as the most important preventive measure for the control of hospital-acquired infections. The purpose of this study was to analyze the practice of hand washing by health professionals, through playful-educative actions on the theme, accomplished during a commemorative event in May 2003, at the Fernandes Figueira Institute, in Rio de Janeiro. A sink was specially set up for the participants to accomplish the basic washing of their hands. Fifty professionals, in a volunteer basis, have been observed by means of a structured observation method. The results showed a poor technical performance, including the inobservance of the withdrawal of adornments (84%) and application of the liquid soap without previous wetting of the hands (56%). Although most (80%) participants have used more time than recommended (10 to 15 seconds), 54% didn???t accomplish a complete washing. We concluded that, in spite of the frequent educational campaigns and offering of appropriate products, the professionals don???t perform the technique satisfactorily