Hand Washing…Why Still an Issue

Hand hygiene is very important for the health safety of patients’ especially paediatric population. Less care about hand hygiene by nurses may lead patients in paediatrics ward to acquire infections which can further build up into other diseases. The purpose of this study is to identify factors which prevent nurses from adopting healthy hand hygiene   practices and from following universal code of precautions. Through a review of previous studies, this paper explores that factors like non-availability of anti-bacterial soap or water, increased workload of nurses, unawareness, lack of accountability, lack of knowledge about hand washing technique and less reminders in health care setting are responsible for poor hand hygiene. The paper further argues that it is important for nurses and other health care professionals to be aware of safe hand hygiene practices and the consequences of not following them not only in order to create a safe and infection-free health care environment but also to prevent patients and themselves from future problems.