Moments for hand hygiene in Material and Sterilization Center

we conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study in the MSC of a large hospital, from July to November 2012, in Goiânia, state of Goiás, Brazil. Data obtained through observation of workers, following a previously evaluated and tested checklist.

Results:

to the dirty area, standardized moments of HH were enough. In the clean area, "Extra moments with indication" for HH, resulting from the work process, such as: after disinfecting benches, after verification and inventory of consigned products, before assembling boxes/trays, before loading and unloading the autoclave, before handling and distributing health care products, among others, were necessary.

Conclusion:

the moments of HH in the dirty area coincide with indications of the clinical practice; and, in the clean area, characteristic moments of the work process were captured.

Descriptors:
Infection Control; Nursing Care; Hospital Nursing Service; Sterilization; Hand Washing

Moments for hand hygiene with pre-established indication	n	%
Access to the unit (n = 254)
When entering	71	27.9
When leaving	51	20.1
Use of gloves (n = 109)
Before putting them on	14	12.8
After removing them	65	59.6
Work shift (n = 96)
Start	62	64.6
End	33	34.4

Clean Area/Storage
After administrative activities (use of telephone, computer and minute books)	After registering unit’s productivity
After disinfecting benches	After biological indicator incubation
Before assembling boxes and trays	After disposing biological indicator
After verification and inventory of consigned products	Before preparing Bowie and Dick test
After registering contaminated health care products received from consuming units^* * *Activity usually performed in the dirty area of the Material and Sterilization Center, however, in the hospital under study, there was not an anteroom for receiving, checking and registering contaminated health care products. For this activity, they appointed a worker of the clean area, who did it in the hallway near the reception window and sometimes wore gloves, sometimes not.	Before wearing protective clothing (private uniform, cap, mask and shoe covers)
Before handling packages and health care products	After wearing protective clothing (shoe covers)
Before packaging health care products (boxes, outfit)	Before storing processed health care products
Before folding outfit	Before removing the load from the autoclave
Before receiving laundry outfit	Before handling health care products processed (look for a health care product or change places to clean the shelf)
Before loading the autoclave with health care products	Before distributing health care products to units

Activities performed after hand hygiene	n	%
Pack Health care Products	75	26.7
Leave the unit	64	22.8
Administrative activities (phone, computer, papers)	53	18.9
Handle packages	29	10.3
Put on gloves	16	5.7
Assemble boxes/trays	15	5.3
Prepare and pack outfit (surgical drapes, medical gowns)	08	2.8
Handle processed health care products	07	2.4
Receive health care products/outfit	05	1.9
Load the autoclave with health care products	03	1.2
Open the autoclave door	03	1.2
Disinfection of benches	01	0.4
Prepare Bowie and Dick test	01	0.4
Total	280	100.0

Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem SGA Norte Quadra 603 Conj. "B" - Av. L2 Norte 70830-102 Brasília, DF, Brasil, Tel.: (55 61) 3226-0653, Fax: (55 61) 3225-4473 - Brasília - DF - Brazil
E-mail: reben@abennacional.org.br

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[1] CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Anaclara Ferreira Veiga Tipple. E-mail: anaclara.fen@gmail.com