Kontakt 2009, 11(1):47-55 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2009.007

Hygiene of hands - contents analysis of curricular documents of the study programme "Nursing"Nursing

Simona Kelčíková

Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave, Jesseniova lekárska fakulta v Martine, Ústav nelekárských študijných programov

In her contribution, the author presents results of the contents analysis of basic curricular documents of the study programme "Nursing" concerning hygiene of hands. The contents analysis forms a considerably specific field of the qualitative approach. In Information Sheets of Subjects (ISS) for students of the first, second, third and fourth years, within the framework of quantifying procedures of the contents analysis, a zero dichotomy, frequency of sensual units ("hand hygiene", "technique of washing/disinfection of hands") was found and the occurrence of 32 analytical units was observed within all the years of study in terms of contingence only. The research demonstrated a fact that the problem of the hand hygiene is not included into the scope of the Information Sheets of Subjects and is not clearly specified as a standard procedure, mainly in crucial subjects and subsequently in further subjects of the study programme for the branch Nursing of the JLF UK in Martin, which can negatively affect the level of knowledge, skill and habits of students in terms of hand hygiene. The observed drawbacks in curricular documents of the Information Sheets of Subjects can be considered as one of conditioning factors of the inferior knowledge concerning these problems.
In different countries and hospitals, standards were developed determining the hygiene of hands of the personnel and, in spite of this, the compliance with directives is very low. One of interventions aimed at improving the compliance with the hygiene of hands is effective continuous teaching of health professionals and successful education (with clearly specified contents). The education should be aimed at changes of attitudes to and performance of hygiene of hands in the nursing practice, which is a challenge for educational institutions.

Keywords: contents analysis; hygiene of hands; technique of washing, disinfection of hands; nosocomial infections

Received: February 2, 2009; Accepted: April 19, 2009; Published: May 27, 2009  Show citation