Effective hand hygiene (HH) is a cornerstone of infection prevention in healthcare settings, particularly in tertiary cardiac care centers where healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose significant risks. This cross-sectional study evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices of HH among 661 healthcare staff, predominantly nurses (65.44% of 1,010 total staff), at a tertiary cardiac care center in Ahmedabad, India. The survey, conducted via a validated online questionnaire (Google Forms) (Cronbach's α = 0.89), revealed a mean knowledge score of 84.1%, an attitude score of 88.8%, and a practice score of 87.6%. Critical care nurses and staff with over 5 years of experience exhibited significantly higher knowledge scores compared to their counterparts (P < 0.001), while less experienced staff reported lower practice adherence. Positive attitudes were prevalent, with 94.4% willing to promote HH, though workload was cited by 64.9% of respondents as a major barrier to compliance. These findings highlight the need for targeted education for novice staff, workload management strategies, and continuous monitoring to sustain optimal HH compliance and mitigate HAI-related pathogen transmission.
Type of Study:
Short communication |
Subject:
Host-pathogen interactions and susceptibility factors Received: 2023/12/26 | Accepted: 2025/12/10 | Published: 2026/02/3