?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Hand+washing+Compliance+-+Is+It+A+Reality%3F&rft.creator=J+B%2C+Suchitra&rft.creator=N%2C+Lakshmidevi&rft.subject=Online+Journal+of+Health+and+Allied+Sciences&rft.description=Background%3A+Transmission+of+microorganisms+from+the+hands+of+health+care+workers+is+the+main+source+of+cross-infection+in+hospitals+and+can+be+prevented+by+hand+washing.+The+aim+of+this+study+was+to+identify+predictors+of+noncompliance+with+hand+washing+during+routine+patient+care.%0AMaterials+And+Methods%3A+This+is+an+observational+study.+The+participants+in+the+study+were+Health+Care+Workers+(HCWs).+Doctors%2C+nurses+and+ward+aides+working+in+different+wards+of+the+hospital+who+were+observed+for+compliance+with+hand+washing.%0AResults%3A+In+270+observed+opportunities+for+hand+washing%2C+average+compliance+was+63.3%25.+Noncompliance+was+highest+among+doctors+followed+by+nurses.+Ward+aides+were+most+compliant.+%0AConclusions%3A+Compliance+with+hand+washing+was+moderate.+Variation+across+the+hospital+ward+and+type+of+HCW+suggests+that+targeted+educational+programs+may+be+useful.+Noncompliance+suggests+that+understaffing+may+decrease+quality+of+patient+care.&rft.publisher=Dr.+B.S.+Kakkilaya&rft.contributor=Kakkilaya+Bevinje%2C+Dr.+Srinivas&rft.contributor=Baliga%2C+Dr.+Shantaram&rft.date=2007-03&rft.type=Journal+(On-line%2FUnpaginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F5494%2F1%2F2006-4-2.pdf&rft.identifier=++J+B%2C+Suchitra+and+N%2C+Lakshmidevi++(2007)+Hand+washing+Compliance+-+Is+It+A+Reality%3F++%5BJournal+(On-line%2FUnpaginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F5494%2F