Thursday January 26, 2006
Pearls of Hand Hygiene - Yaap !! - So Basic !! .

Following are the national standard guideline for Hand Hygiene from Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. Are we doing it right way?.

1. Wet hands first with water, apply an amount of product as recommended by the manufacturer, and rub hands together vigorously for at least 15 seconds, covering all surfaces of the hands and fingers.

2. Rinse hands with water and dry thoroughly with a disposable towel.

3. Use towel to turn off the faucet.

4. Avoid using hot water (may increase the risk of dermatitis).

5. If bar soap is used, soap racks that facilitate drainage and small bars of soap should be used .

6. Multiple-use cloth towels of the hanging or roll type are not recommended for use in health-care settings.

7. The cost of hand-hygiene products should not be the primary factor influencing product selection.

8. Do not add soap to a partially empty soap dispenser. This practice of "topping off" dispensers can lead to bacterial contamination of soap.

9. Do not wear artificial fingernails or extenders when having direct contact with patients at high risk (e.g., those in ICUs or ORs).

10. Keep natural nails tips less than 1/4-inch long.

11. Wash hands with soap and water if exposure to spores like Bacillus anthracis or C.diff. is suspected. The physical action of washing and rinsing hands under such circumstances is recommended because alcohols, chlorhexidine, iodophors, and other antiseptic agents have poor activity against spores.

12. If hands are not visibly soiled, an alcohol-based hand rub may be use for routinely decontaminating hands.

13. Decontaminate hands also before inserting indwelling urinary catheters.

(Wearing rings is an unresolved issue but studies have shown increase bacterial growth beneath rings but no evidence yet on increase transmission).

Read full Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings .