Hand Hygiene In-Service for Staff

1. Hand HygieneIn-Service for Staff

2. What is Hand Hygiene? • Hand hygiene involves the following: Alcohol-based hand rub: rubbing hands with an alcohol-containing preparation Hand washing: washing hands with soap and water Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings. MMWR 2002; vol. 51, no. RR-16.

3. Why Don’t We Wash Our Hands?Self-Reported Factors for Poor Adherence with Hand Hygiene • Skin irritation and dryness • Sinks are inconveniently located/lack of sinks • Lack of soap and paper towels • Too busy/insufficient time • Understaffing/overcrowding • Patient needs take priority • Low risk of acquiring infection from patients Adapted from Pittet D, Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2000;21:381-386.

4. Clean Hands Save Lives • Clean hands are the most important factor in preventing the spread of disease and antibiotic resistance in settings across the continuum of health care. • Hand hygiene: • Promotes patient safety and prevents infections • Reduces the incidence of healthcare-associated infections

5. Hand Hygiene: How and When • If hands are visibly dirty, contaminated, or soiled, wash with soap and water. • After using the restroom • Before eating or preparing food • If hands are not visibly soiled, use an alcohol-based hand rubfor routinely decontaminating hands. Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-care Settings. MMWR 2002; vol. 51, no. RR-16.

6. When to Perform Hand Hygiene • Before and after: • Contact with a patient • Treating a cut or wound (Ex: changing dressings or bandages) • Before: • Putting on gloves • Preparing or eating food • Touching your eyes, nose, or mouth • Handling/administering medication • Insertion of invasive devices Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-care Settings. MMWR 2002; vol. 51, no. RR-16.

7. When to Perform Hand Hygiene • After: • Contact with blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, secretions, excretions, or non-intact skin • Removing gloves • Touching surfaces or objects in the patient’s environment that may be contaminated (light switches, door knobs, patient care equipment, etc.) • Handling garbage • Using the restroom • Blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing

8. Efficacy of Hand Hygiene Preparations in Killing Bacteria Better Good Best Antimicrobial soap Plain soap Alcohol-based hand rub

9. Effect of Alcohol-Based Hand Rubs on Skin Condition Self-reported skin score Dry Healthy • Boyce J, Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2000;21(7):438-441.

10. Benefits of Alcohol-Based Hand Rubs • Improve skin condition • Require less time • More accessible than sinks • Reduce bacterial counts on hands • More effective for standard hand washing than soap

11. Recommended Hand Hygiene Technique • Hand rubs • Apply to palm of one hand, rub hands together covering all surfaces until dry. • Manufacturer will instruct how much to use. • Hand washing • Wet hands with water, apply soap, rub hands together for at least 15 seconds. • Rinse and dry with disposable towel. • Use towel to turn off faucet. Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings. MMWR 2002; vol. 51, no. RR-16.

12. Gloving • Wear gloves when contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials is possible. • Remove gloves after caring for a patient. • Do not wear the same pair of gloves for the care of more than one person. • Do not wash gloves. Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings. MMWR 2002; vol. 51, no. RR-16.

13. Fingernails and Artificial Nails • Natural nail tips should be kept to ¼ inch in length. • Artificial nails should not be worn when having direct contact with high-risk patients. Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings. MMWR 2002; vol. 51, no. RR-16.

14. PREVENTION IS PRIMARY! Hand hygiene protects patients, staff, visitors, and promotes quality healthcare!