Abstract:

Introduction: The most common route of infection transmission is through direct touch which means it can happen through body contact of infected with susceptible host (infant) by touch. Based on communicable disease control center statistics, almost two million children encounter infection through contact with personnel and utilities which are preventable.

Objective: This study aims to determine performance of treatment team due to prevention of infection transmission in neonate wards.

Methods: In this descriptive study, samples consisted of doctors, nurses, medical and nursing students, lab technicians and vaccinators in infant wards of Al-Zahra and 17 Shahrivar educational centers in Rasht who were chosen during a 6 months period (104 samples). Data collection tool was checklist of hand washing and data was collected with one-way blind and direct observation.

Results: Finding showed that the most of desired performance (%100) belongs to nursing students and most of undesired performance (%75) was related to medical students and most relatively satisfactory performance (55%) was related to ward nurses. Overall most health team personnel (42.3%) had undesirable practice regarding hand washing in neonate wards. Conclusion: In attention to above findings and decreasing attention to use of gown, mask and special shoes in neonate wards, it is more essential to teach hand washing and create a more positive attitude to promote better health care team practice.

Key words: Performance, Infection transmission, Hand washing, Neonate ward