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Updated: May 26, 2026
A Method to Test the Efficacy of Handwashing for the Removal of Emerging Infectious Pathogens
Published on: June 7, 2017
Comparative effectiveness of hand hygiene modalities in reducing microbial colonization on nurses' hands in surgical
Hanadi Dakhilallah1, Bander Saad Albagawi2, Kamlah Ahmed Sari Al-Olaimat3
1Department of Nursing Administration and Education, College of Nursing, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Objective:
To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of hand washing, alcohol-based hand rub, and their combination in reducing microbial colonization on nurses' hands in surgical departments.
Methods:
A quasi-experimental comparative study was conducted at Jordan Hospital, a tertiary private healthcare institution in Amman, Jordan across 10 surgical departments. Forty-five nurses were alternating sequence as participants were assigned into three equal groups: G1 (hand washing only), G2 (alcohol-based hand rub only), and G3 (hand washing followed by hand rub). Four tools were used: (1) socio-demographic and medical data, (2) infection prevention and control knowledge assessment, (3) hand hygiene observational checklist, and (4) microbiology laboratory assessment. Nurses' knowledge, hand hygiene practices, and microbial colonization were evaluated at baseline (pre-intervention), post-1st week, post-2nd week, and post-3rd week.
Results:
Pre-intervention, the majority of nurses demonstrated insufficient knowledge regarding infection prevention and hand hygiene. Post-intervention assessments showed significant improvements in knowledge across all groups. Hand hygiene compliance significantly increased in G2 and G3 at both post-intervention time points, while G1 exhibited improvement only after the first week. Microbial colonization on nurses' hands decreased significantly in all groups, with G3 showing the greatest reduction. The combined modality (hand washing followed by alcohol-based hand rub) was more effective in reducing microbial load than either method alone.
Conclusion:
Hand hygiene significantly reduces microbial colonization on nurses' hands, with the combination of hand washing and alcohol-based hand rub showing greater effectiveness in this study. However, given the limited sample size and short study duration, these findings should be interpreted cautiously. Further research with larger samples is needed before making definitive recommendations for routine practice.
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