Hand Hygiene Compliance and Bacterial Colonization on Personal Belongings

This study aims to examine whether intensive care nurses\' hand hygiene practices are related to the presence and amount of bacteria on their frequently used personal belongings, such as mobile phones, pens, and identification badges. Intensive care units are high-risk environments for infections because patients are often critically ill and require invasive medical procedures. Nurses have an important role in preventing the spread of infections through appropriate hand hygiene. In this study, nurses\' self-reported hand hygiene compliance will be assessed, and samples will be collected from their personal belongings to identify bacterial contamination. The amount and types of bacteria found on these belongings will be examined. The study will determine whether nurses with different levels of hand hygiene compliance have differences in bacterial contamination of their personal belongings. The findings may contribute to improving infection prevention practices and developing targeted hygiene education for intensive care nurses.