The Effect of Educational Interventions Based on Theory of Planned Behavior on Nurses' Intention to Perform Hand Hygiene

Considering the importance of hand hygiene in the nurses, this study has aimed to determine the effect of educational interventions based on Theory of Planned Behavior on nurses' intention to perform hand hygiene. In this randomized controlled clinical trial, subjects including 60 nurses were selected by using the convenience sampling method and then were located in the intervention or control groups by the simple random sampling. The intervention group received educational interventions based on the Theory of Planned Behavior through a four-session workshop. Instrument was Theory of Planned Behavior questionnaire with four subscales including attitudes, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms and hand hygiene intention. The questionnaire was filled in the two groups before, immediately after, and one month after intervention. The mean score of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intention in the baseline of intervention group were 1.96 ± 0.62, 1.87 ± 0.68, 1.84 ± 0.72, and 3.96± 0.64 respectively.  Immediately after the intervention the mean score of these constructs changed to, 2.88 ± 0.68, 2.79 ± 0.79, 3.82 ± 0.69, and 3.78± 0.71 respectively, and the changes were statistically significant (P<0.001). Also education performed in the intervention group increased the scores of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and intention in comparison with the control group and changes were significant statistically(P<0.001). The use of educational models could improve the nurses' intention to perform hand hygiene behaviors; therefore, it is necessary to consider this model by modifying the training patterns.