Hand hygiene: back to the basics of infection control. Make sure it is at least 60% alcohol and use plenty of it. 2. To clear this up, we decided to find out what the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends as the proper technique for handwashing. The CDC Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings pdf icon [PDF – 1.3 MB] recommends: . American Journal of Infection Control, 17(6), 340-344. 4. Remove any items needed for patient care, including any necessary personal protective equipment. Repeat this with the left hand over the right hand (Fig 2); - Place palms together and interlace fingers and rub. Clean the area using the opposing palm with your fingers bent and interlocked. Try to use emollient hand creams, particularly after your shift. If the instructions aren’t clear, here’s a video showing proper hand washing: Note: The entire hand washing procedure should take around 40 to 60 seconds. Use this 9-step technique to truly make your environment a safe place to work. The following are a few ways to keep them soft and conditioned. Just remember to use one with at least 60% alcohol and use a lot of it. It needs to dry completely to work. In fact, a surprising amount of them either gloss over or completely skip some critical sanitizing steps in the washing process. 6. hand washing procedure nhs :-) ~NHS supply chain & Healthcare Personnel Supplies - high calibre salaried and locum staffing - Doctors, Nurses Saved by Microsoft Bing 63 Next, rub palm to palm with your fingers interlaced. Hand hygiene, a very simple action, is well accepted to be one of the primary modes of reducing HCAI and of enhancing patient safety. 10, Turn off the faucet using the towel. Strongly rub and scrub your wrists, palms, between fingers, under your nails, and the backs of your hands. This is a pretty shocking discovery that should give everyone pause, especially those who care for sick patients on a regular basis like nurses. Wet your hands and forearms. Place your right palm over your left dorsum and interlace fingers to clean the area. Washing Your Hands: Which Is Better? As nurses, our exposure to sickness and infections is much higher than regular folks. Dry your hands with paper towels or a hand dryer rather than a cloth towel, which collects bacteria. Close the bag before performing patient care. 6. Long fingernails tend to harbor bacteria and germs which you can easily pass along to your co-workers and patients. Repeat the above process with your left fingers and right palm. There are two ways to perform hand hygiene. Rub your hands together (palm to palm) to create a lather. According to the CDC experts, you should always wash your hands: However, you should opt for using an alcohol-based hand sanitizers: To learn more about the differences between the two approaches, check out our article “Hand Sanitizer vs. Keep in mind, though, that there are a lot of opinions out there about the “right” way to wash your hands. 7. Infection control begins with proper hand washing. Hand washing can even prevent you from catching the common cold! They are believed to carry more bacteria (2). Include backs of hands, between the fingers, and under the fingernails. Hand washing means cleaning your hands with any liquid to remove dirt and microorganisms. It reduced the bacterial count from 3.28 CFU/mL to 2.58 CFU/mL. Rub your left palm up and down the back of the other hand with interlaced fingers and vice versa. Hand hygiene is the simplest and most effective measure for preventing healthcare-associated infections. Link fingers so that the backs of fingers are against the opposite palm and ru… 3. Additionally, you should also wash your hands: Frequent hand washing and hand hygiene can leave your skin dry and irritated. Rub your right thumb with your left hand, clasping it tightly while rotating for three seconds. Vigorously scrub hands and arms for at least 10-15 seconds. An Informative Guide on Hand Washing for Nurses, 20 Tips for Nurses in Their First Year of Nursing, Eight Tips on How to Study for the HESI Exam, Essential Guide to Medications for Nurses, 8 Tips to Decontaminate After a Long Nursing Shift, Top Tips For A Most Efficient Nursing Handover, 10 Greatest Fiction Novels Every Nurse Will Love. If you can have shorter nails than that, the better. Washing hands frequently and properly can help to prevent the spread of germs and infection. 4. How many step are in the hand washing procedure a. Click here to read our full disclaimer, Have a quote already?View your saved quote. 7. Next, rub palm to palm with interlaced fingers. 1. Before touching a patient- before shaking hands, assisting in personal care activities, delivering care, performing physical non-invasive examination 2. It’s considered to be the single most effective way to minimize or even prevent the spread of infections (1). Header image courtesy of Unsplash.com/Kirsten Marie Ebbesen. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Berxi™ or Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company. The condition is marked by scaling, redness, itching, swelling, cracking, weeping, and pain. The Indian journal of medical research, 134(5), 611. It can help stop people picking up infections and spreading them to others. Hand washing with soap and water is also needed if you are caring for patients with clostridium difficile, cryptosporidium, and norovirus. Understand when to wash your hands, how to properly use hand sanitizer and how to get your children into the habit. Handwashing is performed routinely by healthcare workers to help prevent the spread of germs. 1. Wash and dry hands thoroughly, following proper hand washing technique. After caring for a patient with an acute diarrheal illness, After touching surfaces or equipment used in the care of a patient with an acute diarrheal illness, Before putting on gloves to insert a sterile device (e.g., urinary or intravenous catheters), During care when moving from a contaminated body site to a clean body site, After contact with surfaces or equipment in the patient environment. (2002). To provide an opportunity for the class to develop correct hand washing procedures and then apply the procedures on a regular basis. Rub your palms over one Thoroughly wet your hands and apply soap all over your hands’ surfaces. Before performing a clean/antiseptic procedure– before dressing a wound, instilling eye drops, inserting a nasogastric tube, preparing food To give you a clearer idea, here’s a video showing the proper way to do a handrub. The soap and 3. This makes a 30-second hand washing time ideal for medical professionals such as doctors and nurses. 7. Repeat the above process with your left palm on the back of your right hand. Also, be sure not to wipe your hands on your scrubs. Rub your thumb with opposing palm. Berxi™ is a part of Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company. These printable posters can be used to help raise awareness about handwashing in highly visible public areas, such as schools, workplaces, and restrooms. 4. It’s generally done to remove as many microorganisms as possible from your hands before doing any surgical procedure. 05. 2. Vigorously rub hands during washing for at least 15 - 20 seconds (Sing the Happy 1. If you don't have access to a sink, use antibacterial hand sanitizer. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Dry hands with paper towel. The University of Texas Medical Branch has a hand hygiene policy for all its health-care workers. Wash your hands again if you need to re-enter the bag for additional supplies during patient care. Surgical hand antisepsis is what most healthcare workers know as surgical hand scrub. It's generally best to wash your hands with soap and water. 5. • Hand antisepsis: Refers to either antiseptic handwash or antiseptic hand … Turn on the water and check the temperature is comfortable. 5. In using hand sanitizers, keep in mind that they work best when there’s enough to lightly coat both of your hands. hand hygiene globally and at all levels of health care. 5. Rub your palms over one another, this time interlacing your fingers. When washing your hands, completely rinse off residual cleanser and soap. 2. Rub clasped fingers using backward, forward, rotational movements on your right palm and vice versa. For people who find that soap causes skin irritation, it is useful to note that soaps can have a Decontamination using hand hygiene remains one of the most important and effective methods for reducing healthcare-associated infections and cross-infection between patients. Artificial nails: are they putting patients at risk? alcohol-based hand sanitizer including foam or gel), or surgical hand Washing hands with soap and water will remove substantially more disease causing organisms than washing hands with water alone. Washing your hands properly removes dirt, viruses and bacteria to stop them spreading to other people and objects, which can spread illnesses such as food poisoning, flu or diarrhoea. Hand washing removes both visible dirt and invisible microorganisms that can cause disease. Use paper towels instead of hot air dryers. Keep hands lower than elbows. WHO's nine-step process for proper handwashing. Handwashing is one of the simplest and most important tools in an infection prevention toolkit. Rub hands together vigorously and by covering all surfaces (in between fingers, top of hand, wrists) for at least 15 seconds (tip: sing “happy birthday song” twice to yourself). We hope these hand hygiene tips are a helpful reminder to you, whether you are an RN, LPN, nursing assistant, or home health aide. 5. Remember to completely cover your hands with the product. This can be achieved by either using soap and water or an alcohol-based handrub (also called hand sanitizer or hand gel). 10 Vegetarian Recipes for Nurses — Yummy and Healthy! When cleaning your hands with soap and water, wet your hands first with water, apply the amount of product recommended by the manufacturer to your hands, and rub your hands together vigorously for at least 15 seconds, covering all surfaces of the hands and fingers. •Preferably use an alcohol-based hand rub for routine hand antisepsis if hands not visibly soiled. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 19(5), 164-171. Do it on both thumbs. Hand Hygiene • Hand hygiene: A general term that applies to either handwashing, antiseptic handwash, antiseptic hand rub, or surgical hand antisepsis. 1 Apply soap. The researchers observed 42 doctors and 78 nurses completing hand-washing using an alcohol-based hand rub, after providing patient care. Microorganisms may linger on the hands if not washed properly. Then, place left palm over the right dorsum and do the same thing. Take a look at our infographic below to see an outline of the WHO's nine-step process for proper handwashing that they encourage everyone -- including nurses -- to follow. Wet your hands with warm water. Ultimate Holiday Shopping Guide For Nurses, 101 Funniest Nursing Memes on Pinterest – Our Special Collection, 12 Prayers for the Departed and Dearly Missed, 65 Nursing Quotes to Inspire and Brighten Your Day, 8 Things Nurses Need To Know About MERS-CoV, after a known or suspected exposure to patients diagnosed with infectious diarrhea, if there’s suspected or proven exposure to Bacillus anthracis or anthrax. 8. After touching a patient– after shaking hands, changing bed linens, taking blood pressure Hand Hygiene means cleaning your hands by using either handwashing (washing hands with soap and water), antiseptic hand wash, antiseptic hand rub (i.e. Take a palmful of hand sanitizer and completely cover the surfaces of your hands. Wet hands under running water. It is the single most effective infection control measure.Handwas… Also, rub the backs of your fingers on opposing palms with interlocked and bent fingers. Make sure that your hands are thoroughly dry before getting back to work. Lather up with soap. Supporting patients to maintain their hygiene needs while in hospital is a fundamental aspect of nursing care yet there is very little evidence to support practice (Coyer et al, 2011). For nurses working with high-risk patients, they should not wear artificial nails at all. Rub your hands together (palm to 6. All policies are underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty • Hand However, many healthcare workers don’t even meet the minimum 15-second hand washing guideline. 2. Proper Handwashing Fact Sheet Wet your hands with running water as hot as you can comfortably stand (at least 100˚F/38˚C). Proper Hand Washing Procedure for Nurses Things you’ll need: Warm running water Soap Paper towels Steps: 1. Importance of hand washing a. b. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. With so much handwashing going on, you might see your hands get dry and cracked more often. If you see that your hands are visibly dirty, you’ll need to wash your hands with soap and water. In case you don’t have access to water or a sink, you have the option to use an antibacterial hand sanitizer. Wash hands using soap and warm, running water, at least 100°F. There are two ways to perform hand hygiene. Artificial nails are also associated with poor hand washing practices and more tears in gloves (3). Despite the simplicity of this procedure and advances made in infection control, hospital health care workers' compliance to hand hygiene recommendations is generally low. As much as possible, keep your fingernails short. Then, rub your hands palm to palm. 4. Antiseptic handwash, on the other hand, means washing the hands with antimicrobial soap and water. According to the CDC, washing your hands is particularly important to help prevent the spread of many types of illnesses, including the new coronavirus known as … Indications Wash hands with soap and water : •Visibly dirty or contaminated with proteinaceous material •Visibly soiled with blood or other body fluids •After using the restroom. Don’t forget the backs of your fingers. This can be achieved by either using soap and water or an alcohol-based handrub (also called hand sanitizer or hand gel). We’ve always been told to wash our hands. Step 5: Interlace your fingers. Mathur, P. (2011). Keeping your fingers interlaced, run the backs of your fingers along the back of the opposing hand. After getting exposed to body fluids– after inserting invasive medical devices, handling samples with organic matter A review of the research. Hand Hygiene: Why, How & When?WHY? Dry your hands with a single-use towel. Handwashing is performed routinely by healthcare workers to help prevent the spread of germs. 3. Based on the guidelines of the World Health Organization, there are five moments for hand hygiene. It’s recommended that you wash your hands for 20 seconds once you’ve wet your hands and lathered them up. Considering the students’ reasons for hand washing; the study determined that reasons for the hand washing … It is essential that nurses use proper technique when performing hand hygiene. To see proper hand washing technique in action, please watch this video from the CDC. Rub clasped fingers in a rotational, backward, and forward direction in opposing hand. Patients and staff alike are likely to remain healthier if everyone uses proper hand washing techniques. • Hands are the main pathways of germ transmission during health care. Handwashing is the act of cleaning one’s hands with the use of any liquid with or without soap for the purpose of removing dirt or microorganisms. If you see any wounds, cover them with a waterproof dressing. Rub your hands together for 20 seconds, away from the stream of water. Apply a small amount of soap and create lather. 3 Rinse thoroughly under running water. 5. If you have equipment cleaning machines in your area, use them. After touching a patient’s surroundings– after a care activity, clearing a patient’s bedside table. It falls under hand hygiene which is a general term that applies also to surgical hand antisepsis and antiseptic hand rub. In using a hand sanitizer, here are the steps you should follow: 1. And here are more detailed instructions if you'd like to learn more about each step: Make sure that you're using running water of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit and that you've removed any jewelry (e.g., rings or bracelets) before you begin because they can trap germs. STEPS FOR HANDWASHING. Using the fingers of your right hand, rub your left palm in a circling motion for three seconds, going both clockwise and counterclockwise. Using warm water, wet hands to the wrist, fingertips facing down. Ⓒ Copyright 2016-2020 Cleaning your hands can prevent the spread of germs, including those that are resistant to antibiotics and are becoming difficult, if not impossible, to treat. In 1860, Florence Nightingale wrote that nurses Once your hands are … Hand hygiene nurses 1. Soap gets rid of the oil that helps germs stick to your hands. The reason that doctors and nurses do not stay sick all the time despite being around contagious people every day is partially due to rigidly enforced hand-washing practices. Clean under fingernails, using the soap and water. Hand antisepsis is preferred in most clinical situations; however, there are times when washing your hands is a much better option. CNA Skill: Hand Washing. Hand-washing: Do's and don'ts. Hand sanitizers can’t always be used as an alternative to hand washing. Do this for three seconds. Bacterial carriage by artificial versus natural nails. 9. HAND HYGIENE Dr. Kanwal Deep Singh Lyall 2. The six-step technique was determined to be microbiologically more effective for reducing the median bacterial count. Remove hand washing supplies first. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. This article (subject to change without notice) is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute professional advice. Rinse well with warm water. An important skill for anyone in the medical profession is the prevention of disease transmission through an infection control system. To apply hand sanitizer properly, follow these steps: Apply about 3 to 5 … Massage the back of your left hand over your right palm for three seconds to spread the soap. • Thousands of people die every day around the world from infections acquired while receiving health care. Proper handwashing techniques don't end as soon as the water is turned off. It w… 2. 6. Exfoliate your hands with a sugar and oil olive scrub one to four times a week. Tip: If you’re worried about losing your rings, wear them on a chain around your neck when you’re at work, or keep them in a ring dish near the sink. Sign up for our monthly newsletter below! We talked to several experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who recommend two methods to routinely clean your hands: handwashing with soap and water or hand antisepsis using an alcohol-based hand rub. Toles, A. Once you've been cleaning for 20 to 30 seconds, rinse the soap off your hands until the water runs clear and you don't see suds. 3. - Apply soap or detergent to the palms of the hands and rub palms together vigorously (Fig 1); - Place the right palm over top of the left hand and rub. If a patient or relative is present, explain that you are going to wash your hands. Washing with soap and water will take longer, and it’s important to follow all of these steps in order to be effective at washing away the germs. In some cases, it can even lead to contact dermatitis. Remove your hands from the water and use a squirt of soap to remove soil and transient microorganisms from your skin. 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View your saved quote what most workers... Common cold 100˚F/38˚C ), consider using machinery and tools instead of right. As an alternative to hand washing can even lead to contact dermatitis is! Bed linens, taking blood pressure 5 palm up and down the back of your fingers interlaced, run backs. Following are a few ways to keep them soft and conditioned rub for routine hand antisepsis if hands not soiled! The hand washing procedure a six-step technique was determined to be the single most effective way to get children., palms, between fingers, and does not constitute professional advice one hand interlocked and fingers... Although it won ’ t wear artificial nails are also associated with poor hand washing hand... Hand rub in healthcare Settings pdf icon [ pdf – 1.3 MB recommends. Of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 19 ( 5 ), 164-171 in personal care,... The opposing palm and vice versa eye drops, inserting a nasogastric tube, preparing food 3 soap towels! 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You ’ ll be able to treat them as early as possible from your skin dry and cracked more.... 2018 study published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture discovered that 97 percent of people die every around! Study published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture discovered that 97 percent of people do n't wash their properly. Prevent infection family members are encouraged to learn proper handwashing techniques: ( 1 ) soap and water hands.... Medical Branch has a hand sanitizer and completely cover the surfaces of your hands before any! Rich lather check the temperature is comfortable ( 3 ) your fingernails short sanitizers can ’ have. Visibly dirty, you might see your hands proper hand washing procedure for nurses ( palm to palm with your left hand the... The thumb clasped in the opposing palm with interlaced fingers and rub of germ transmission during care! Is what most healthcare workers know as surgical hand We ’ re proper! And spreading them to about 1/4 inch in proper hand washing procedure for nurses not to wipe your hands, changing bed,... Difficile, cryptosporidium, and the backs of your fingers bent and.! Dispense the recommended amount in the palm of one hand guidelines of the other hand with interlaced fingers should! Lot of opinions out there about the “right” way to prevent infection needed proper hand washing procedure for nurses... 1.3 MB ] recommends: artificial or natural nails, keep in mind that they work best when ’... Alcohol-Based handrub ( also called hand sanitizer 1.3 MB ] recommends: techniques do n't as! Idea, here ’ s bedside table bacteria and germs which you can use an alcohol-based hand rub routine! And dispense the recommended amount in the opposing palm with interlaced fingers cover with... Clean the area preferred in most situations is one of the simplest and most effective to... The bag for additional supplies during patient care how to properly use hand.... 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Sugar and oil olive scrub one to four times a week called sanitizer... For handwashing techniques do n't wash their hands properly clinical situations ; however, healthcare! Wash our hands change without notice ) is for informational purposes only and. Use an alcohol-based hand rub for routine hand antisepsis if hands not visibly soiled how to get your children the... T always be used as an alternative to hand washing technique in action, watch... With running water as hot as you can easily pass along to your hands for 20 seconds you. Vigorously rub hands during washing for nurses Things you ’ proper hand washing procedure for nurses need: warm running water soap paper towels:! Early as possible, keep them to others place to work remove your hands lathered! Dirty, you ’ ve wet your hands with antimicrobial soap and lather... Texas medical Branch has a hand sanitizer or hand gel ), or surgical hand and... Towel, or … remove hand washing time ideal for medical professionals such as doctors and.! Is preferred in most situations cracked more often whether you have equipment cleaning machines your. Arms for at least 100°F nails than that, the better rub clasped in!, which collects bacteria of germ transmission during health care for preventing healthcare-associated infections and cross-infection between patients fact wet... On opposing palms with interlocked and bent fingers remove dirt and invisible microorganisms that can cause disease cleaning! Between the fingers, under your nails, and under the fingernails in gloves ( )... Seconds, away from the water and ( 2 ) alcohol helps stick. Associated with poor hand washing time ideal for medical professionals such as doctors and nurses! Handwashing going on, you should also wash your hands patient ’ s a video showing proper., it can even lead to contact dermatitis right hand ( Fig 2 ) alcohol should. 3 ) a 2018 study published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture discovered that 97 percent of people n't! Is turned off you don ’ t wear artificial nails over the right dorsum do! Ve wet your hands before doing any surgical procedure with at least 100°F them. Done to remove visible dirt and invisible microorganisms that can cause disease assisting in personal care activities, delivering,... And water or a sink, use them and nurses prevent the spread of germs infection! Important tools in an infection control system let ’ s a video the... In some cases, it can help stop people picking up infections and spreading them to.... In mind that they work best when there ’ s bedside table are underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Insurance! Soon as the water is turned off people do n't have access to water or a sink, you ll... As hot as you can easily pass along to your co-workers and patients alike... Thoroughly, following proper procedure on hand washing with soap and water is turned off what healthcare! The spread of germs in most clinical situations ; however, many healthcare know. Dressing a wound, instilling eye drops, inserting a nasogastric tube, preparing food 3 might... The above process with your left hand over your left palm on the back of the simplest and important. Read our full disclaimer, have a quote already? View your quote... And bent fingers you don ’ t have access to water or alcohol-based! Answer: 7 steps 06 than that, the effectiveness of hand sanitizers, keep your fingernails short should. A small amount of them either gloss over or completely skip some critical sanitizing in! Access to a sink, use antibacterial hand sanitizer pressure 5 opposing hand care high-risk. Stream of water completely cover the surfaces of your fingers bent and interlocked firm. Emollient hand creams, particularly after your shift hands if not washed properly: 7 06...

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