Introduction: For more than a century, Hand hygiene (HH) has been known to be the most cost-effective hygienic method to minimize infection transmission and risk in healthcare settings. Even though 50% of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) can be prevented with proper HH, globally 7 per 100 patients from acute-care hospitals in high-income countries (HIC) and 15 per 100 patients in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) acquire at least one HAI during their hospital stay. Even though medical healthcare students do not have the primary responsibility of providing patient care, it is necessary to train, assess, and monitor HH as their interaction with patients could lead to an increased number of HAIs. By conducting this global scoping review, we aim to summarize the global trends surrounding the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of medical healthcare students regarding HH, and how it affects patient safety.
Methods: We followed the five stages of Arksey and O'Malley's Scoping Review Methodology. The literature search was done in three databases, specifically, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PubMed. Original published research in credible journals in English conducted between 2012 and 2023 discussing HH amongst medical healthcare students all over the world were included.
Results: Twenty-three studies were included in the final analysis. The overall knowledge of medical students regarding HH was low, with some studies reporting scores as low as 10.1%. However, the attitude towards HH was generally positive, with mean scores ranging from 55% to 93%. Notably, nursing students and females exhibited better attitudes and self-reported HH practices. Furthermore, studies indicated that providing training on HH resulted in an increase in positive attitudes towards and improved practices of HH.
Conclusion: By focusing on training and facilitating improved HH practices, future generations of doctors and nurses can contribute to minimizing HAIs and enhancing patient safety. Standardized approaches and comprehensive data collection are crucial for implementing effective HH interventions.
Keywords: hand sanitizing; hand washing; healthcare students; patient care; undergraduate medical students.
© 2024 Shyaka et al.