Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practice of hand hygiene among Bachelor of Nursing Science students at AhmaduBello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria

Microorganisms from the hands of healthcare workers is a source of cross-infection in hospitals and can be prevented by hand washing. Hand hygiene is a foremost technique to reduce nosocomial infections. It is the simplest method for control of nosocomial infections if done properly. This help prevent from a lot of costs and fatalities. Due to constant relationship with patients, nurses play very important role in proper execution of hand hygiene among clinical personnels.  This study aimed at assessing knowledge, attitudes and practice of hand hygiene among Undergraduate Nursing Students on clinical posting at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used.  The objectives of the study were; To determine the level of knowledge of hand hygiene among the students, determine the students attitude towards hand hygiene compliance, identify the practice of hand hygiene  and determine the relationship between knowledge and practice of hand hygiene among the student. The questionnaire was the tool for data collection. Out of 48 questionnaires distributed, 43 (90%) were retrieved and analyzed using SPSS version 22. The result showed that the majority (62%) of the students had good knowledge about hand hygiene. Most (88.8%) had a  positive attitude towards hand hygiene compliance. More than half (61.6%) of the respondents practiced hand hygiene. The study also revealed a strong relationship between knowledge and practice of hand hygiene among the respondents with (X2) of 25.533 at P = 0.000. It was recommended that there is a need for the authority of ABUTH to increase regular training among BNSc students with regard to hand hygiene and periodically monitor and record adherence to hand-hygiene performed by the students and provide feedback regarding their performance