Hand hygiene in nursing and medical students during training: a study on knowledge, practices and impact on bacterial contamination.

Aim. To collect information about knowledge, behavior and hand hygiene (HH) practices in Italian nursing and medical students combining data with hand bacterial contamination before and after a morning training. Methods. A questionnaire designed to investigate knowledge on HH and its practical realization was administered to a casual sample of 100 nursing and 100 medical students attending our University. Data collected were associated with hand contamination measured at the entrance and exit of the turn of training. Results. All nursing students performed HH during training and the frequency was significantly higher compared to medical students, 39% of which declared not to have done it. At the end of training, hand contamination were significantly reduced in both groups, but more pronounced in nursing students. Scores on the HH knowledge were significantly related to HH practices and self-reported HH compliance and were significantly higher for nursing students. Students were also asked to give their opinion on HH knowledge acquired during the course and a significant increase of adequacy as the medical students progressed through their course was found. Discussion. Since the first year of their course, nursing students receive adequate knowledge and consequently apply HH practices during training activities, data confirmed by total bacterial count. Medical students get HH knowledge later and less attention is devoted to these practices also in relation to the reduced occasions of patient contact during their training. This suggested us to anticipate the Hygiene and Public Health teaching before the start of the training activity.