Abstract

Background: Hand washing is the simplest effective method for the prevention of nosocomial infections. The purpose of this study was to evaluate efficacy of observational hand washing on frequency of Staphylococcus aureus (S.aurues) hand carriage in medical staff(physicians, medical students, nurses) and mothers of neonates in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: In a descriptive cross-sectional study, hand specimen cultures of medical staff and mothers of the admitted neonates to the NICU of Shahid Sadoughi Teaching Hospital, Yazd, Iran in 2011 were evaluated before entering the NICU and after non-interventional hand washing. Results: 164 persons including 58 mothers, 56 nurses, 40 medical students and 10 physicians with mean age of 29.75± 6.7 years,were evaluated. Frequency of S.aureus hand carriage was not different before and after observational hand washing (23.2 vs. 22, p = 0.85). Frequency of methicillin resistant S. aureus positivity was not different before and after non-interventional hand washing 19.5% (32 of 164) vs. 18.3% (30 of 164), p = 0.95. Conclusion: Non-interventional hand washing was not effective in decreasing of S.aureus hand carriage and educational programs to improve quality and compliance of hand hygiene are necessary to prevent nosocomial S.aureus infections. © IDOSI Publications, 2013.