Abstract
Objective: To analyze the effects of educational actions on the adherence of health professionals to hand hygiene, at a university hospital in the Northern region of Brazil. Methods: Descriptive-documentary research, in which a data collection was performed, from the Health Care-Related Infection Control Service, on hand hygiene adherence, from January to August 2018. Results: There were observed 1371 opportunities in all hospital admission units. A comparison of the sample of direct observation records of hand hygiene adherence was carried out, on the opportunities in which the health professionals used water and soap or 70% alcohol gel or did not adhere to the practice. Most of the professionals did not perform hand hygiene at the time indicated (χ2 = 14.544; p value = 0.0423). Their behavior did not change, and they maintained the habit of not sanitizing the hands at the five basic moments (χ2 = 4.933, p value = 0.1768). Conclusion: It is essential to strengthen this practice in health services in an attempt to change the culture prevalent among health professionals, as well as standardize a methodology that may result in increased adherence to hand hygiene practices.