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Abstract Handwashing and use of gloves are considered very important measures for controlling nosocomial infections in the hospital wards. Many factors were found tn affect handwashing and use of gloves, such as knowledge, nursing work-load and availability of supplies. The aim of the present work was to study knowledge and practices of nurses regarding hanswashing and use. of gloves in Alexandria hospitals. This study was conducted at five hospitals of different administrative settings in Alexandria namely: Shark EI-Madina hospital, university students hospital, Gamal Abd EI-Nasser hospital, EI-Moassat hospital and Ebrahim Ebead hospital. The study sample included all nurses working in the previous nospital wards. The total sample size included (400) nurses. For the execution of this work a scheduled interview sheet was used to collect data for four hundred (400) nurses about personal data, social ~ata, work situation, knowledge and practices regarding hand washing and use of gloves. Also an observation check-list was constructed for seventy (70) nurses. They were selected purposely from the University of Students Hospital where the researcher work, so that nurses can be observed unnoticed during their performance. Nurses were observed while they performing some nursing procedures [insertion of intravenous cannula, wound care, taking blood sample, giving intravenous injections and colostomy care] which required hand washing and use of gloves. The check-list filled for each nurse through observing her actual performance ouring these procedures. The results of the present study revealed that knowledge of nurses were not enough regarding handwashing and use of gloves, their practices oy questioning them were average, while their practices by observation were poor. |