Surveys conducted show a lack of standardized methods for assessing the adherence of health professionals to the practice of hand hygiene. Therefore, this review aimed to identify the different methods used to assess adherence to this practice found within the literature, referenced by the following query databases - Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences, Medical Analysis Retrieval System Online Scientific Electronic Library Online. A total of 210 studies were identified, among which 34 were selected articles published between the years 2001 to 2010. The study presents the different methods used to conduct the evaluation of adherence to hand hygiene procedures and highlights their strengths and weaknesses, in order to subsidize the critical analysis on the part of health professionals, to facilitate the choice of the most appropriate method for each institution and reality.
Handwashing; Monitoring; Universal precautions; Guideline adherence
