Hand Hygiene

Background

Everyone has germs. Our bodies are covered with germs that help us to stay healthy. In addition to the germs that are usually present on our skin (RESIDENT germs), we also pick up germs from contact with other persons or objects in the environment. These types of germs, called TRANSIENT germs, are much easier to pick up and transfer. In this way, they can cause you, or others, to get sick. Although people usually think that germs are spread through the air, the fact is that germs are most easily spread through HAND CONTACT.

One of the best ways to avoid getting sick or spreading illness is to wash OR to decontaminate your hands. HAND HYGIENE describes washing with soap and water or decontaminating hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (make sure the product contains at least 60% alcohol) . WASHING hands helps to physically remove germs by friction, and to rinse them down the drain.

DECONTAMINATING hands reduces the amount of germs present on hands through use of special alcohol-containing preparations (hand rubs), in the form of gels, rinses or foams. While alcohol-containing preparations reduce germs on your hands, they cannot remove visible soil or contamination. It is always important to WASH hands any time they are visibly dirty.

Always wash your hands before:

Preparing food
Eating
Treating wounds or giving medicine
Touching a sick or injured person
Inserting or removing contact lenses
Always wash your hands after:
Preparing food, especially raw meat or poultry
Using the toilet
Changing a diaper
Touching an animal or animal toys, leashes or waste
Blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing into your hands
Treating wounds
Touching a sick or injured person
Handling garbage or something that could be contaminated, such a cleaning cloth or soiled shoes
Of course, it is also important to wash your hands any time they look dirty.

How to Wash Your Hands

It is generally best to wash with soap and water, following these simple steps:

Wet your hands with running water (warm not hot)
Apply soap
Lather well
Rub your hands vigorously for 10-20 seconds, away from the running water. Remember to scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails. (say the ABCs or sing “Row, Row, Row your Boat” to make sure you have washed long enough).
Rinse well
Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel or air dryer.
Turn the faucet off with your towel

How to Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer

Apply enough product to palm of one hand to wet hands completely (you have used enough [about 1/2 tsp] if it takes 25-30 seconds to dry on your hands).
Rub hands together, covering all surfaces, for up to 25 – 30 seconds or until they are dry

My Hands are Dry — Won't Alcohol Sting or Make Them Drier?

Choose alcohol hand rubs containing 60-95% alcohol, listed as ingredients isopropyl, ethanol or n-propanol.
Choose alcohol hand rubs with 1-3% glycerol or other skin conditioning agents, as emollients.
Emollients are added to alcohol hand rubs to restore moisture to the skin.
Alcohol-based hand rubs, rinses or gels containing emollients cause MUCH LESS skin irritation and dryness than plain or antimicrobial soaps.
It is NOT necessary, or recommended, to routinely wash hands after application of alcohol-based hand rubs.
Do not wipe off alcohol hand rubs. Rub hands until dry.

When used on dry or chafed skin, alcohol may cause a temporary stinging effect, but if products are chosen carefully, the chance of this is decreased.

Kids need clean hands

Help children stay healthy by encouraging them to wash their hands properly and frequently.

Wash your hands with your children to show them how it is done.
To keep them from rushing, suggest washing their hands for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice.
Place visible reminders at their eye level
Make it a “contest” with a chart to mark every time they wash their hands
Keep a stepstool handy for children that cannot reach the sink

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are safe for children and teens, especially when soap and water are not available.

STAY HEALTHY…it’s SIMPLE

Hand washing does not take much time or effort, but offers great rewards in terms of preventing illness.

Reference: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Additional Resource

www.stopgerms.org

Patient Safety Video

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Safe Care Campaign produced a Patient Safety DVD, which may be shown to patients on admission into the hospital. The video is modeled after the video airline passengers are required to view prior to take-off on a flight. The video stresses the importance for patients, visitors and healthcare workers to perform hand hygiene to help prevent the spread of infections. The video provides tips on how patients and visitors can ask their healthcare providers to wash their hands.
To watch the video, visit www.cdc.gov/handhygiene