Especially in NICU(Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), handwashing is an important factor in decresing nosocomial infections due to reduced immunity, prematurity and various invasive procedures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the basic characteristics related to handwashing by NICU nurses. It was composed of three parts ; questionnaire survey I (genoral characteristics of handwashing), questionnaire survey II(the awareness degree of handwashing importance) and actual performance. This study was performed from Oct. 8 to 14 in 1994. The results of this study were as follows ; 1. Frequency of handwashing were different by shift of working about 47.1% of the respondents. They were washing most frequently during day-shift about 75% of above. According to self evaluation to handwashing frequency, 64.7% of the respondents said their frequency of handwashing was inadequate, because of being too busy.(45.1%), bothering caused by detergent or disinfectant(17.6%), and too far from handwashing facilities(17.6%). 2. The most common handwashing agent was soap(88.2%), 52.9% of the subjects experienced adverse effects after handwashing ; rough hand(44.5%), dryness(33.3%) All subjects washed their hands with running water, and 70.6% of the subjects washed upto wrist. In duration of handwashing, 52.9% of subjects washed hands 5 to 10 seconds, 29.5% of them did 11 to 15 seconds. 3. 29.4% among subjects had participated to take in the handwashing educational program. About 60% responded they would like to take the course of handwashing if possible. 4. The important nursing activities that need handwashing were chaning of caring ostomy, suctioning, chaning IV dressing site. On the other hand, they responded handwashing was not essential before dealing with omitus, before and after transfering machine, before chaning diaper(stool) 5. Handwashing performance was 61.7%. Among seven nursing activities, suctioning(73.4%) was the highest, the next was dealing with discharge or sampling(71.1%), the lowest was bathing(34.6%). The performance was better after(70.2%) nursing activities that before(52.5%), and day(63.6%) or evening(68.3%) shift than night(56.7%)