HAND WASHING

Dr.T.V.Rao MD

Definition
Health Care-associated Infection (HCAI)
Also referred to as nosocomial or hospital infection An infection occurring in a patient during the process of care in a hospital or other health-care facility which was not present or incubating at the time of admission. This includes infections acquired in the health-care facility but appearing after discharge, and also occupational infections among health-care workers of the facility

Prevention of health care-associated infection

Validated and standardized prevention strategies have been shown to reduce HCAI At least 50% of HCAI could be prevented Most solutions are simple and not resourcedemanding and can be implemented in developed, as well as in transitional and developing countries

WHY WASH YOUR HANDS ?

Hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.

Hand transmission
Hands are the most common vehicle to transmit health careassociated pathogens Transmission of health care-associated pathogens from one patient to another via health-care workers hands requires 5 sequential steps

The My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene approach

Why should you clean your hands?

Any health-care worker, caregiver or person involved in patient care needs to be concerned about hand hygiene Therefore hand hygiene concerns you! You must perform hand hygiene to:
protect the patient against harmful germs carried on your hands or present on his/her own skin protect yourself and the health-care environment from harmful germs

Hand Washing can prevent

Good hand washing can prevent diseases such as: Shigellosis, E. Coli, Streptococcal Disease, Influenza and the Common Cold

Hand hygiene is the single most effective way to prevent infection

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 10

How to clean your hands

Handrubbing with alcohol-based handrub is the preferred routine method of hand hygiene if hands are not visibly soiled Handwashing with soap and water essential when when hands are visibly dirty or visibly soiled (following visible exposure to body fluids)1
1 If

exposure to spore forming organisms e.g. Clostridium difficile is strongly suspected or proven, including during outbreaks clean hands using soap and water

How to Hand rub

To effectively reduce the growth of germs on hands, handrubbing must be performed by following all of the illustrated steps. This takes only 20 30 seconds!

How to hand wash

To effectively reduce the growth of germs on hands, handwashing must last 4060 secs and should be performed by following all of the illustrated steps

Alcohol Hand Rubs

Require less time Can be strategically placed Readily accessible Multiple sites All patient care areas

Alcohol Hand Rubs

Acts faster Excellent bactericidal activity Less irritating (??) Sustained improvement

Time constraint = major obstacle for hand hygiene

Adequate hand washing with water and soap requires 4060 seconds

Average time usually adopted by healthcare workers: <10 seconds Alcohol-based hand rubbing: 2030 seconds

Summary
HCAI places a serious disease burden and significant economic impact on patients and health-care systems Good hand hygiene the simple task of cleaning hands at the right times and in the right way saves lives There are 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene in Health Care Global compliance with the My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene approach is universally sub-optimal <insert name of facility> has implemented an Action Plan to improve hand hygiene and reduce infection Your support and compliance with the initiatives is essential to save lives in our facility

WHEN SHOULD YOU WASH YOUR HANDS ?

BEFORE YOU: Prepare or eat food Treat a cut or wound Tend to someone whos sick Put in or take out contact lenses Do any kind of activity that involves putting your fingers in or near your mouth, eyes, etc

WHEN SHOULD YOU WASH YOUR HANDS ?

AFTER YOU:
Go to the bathroom Handle uncooked foods, especially raw meat Eat Blow your nose, cough or sneeze Handle garbage Tend to someone who is sick Change a diaper Play with or touch a pet

CORRECT HANDWASHING TECHNIQUE

Wet hands with warm running water. Add soap, then rub hands together to make a soapy lather. Make sure to wash the front and back of your hands, nails and nail beds, wrists and between fingers. Wash hands for 20 seconds. Rinse hands with warm running water with your hands pointed down. Dry hands thoroughly with a clean towel and use that towel to turn off the water and open the door.

Hand Care
Nails Rings Hand creams Cuts & abrasions Chapping Skin Problems

PROPER TECHNIQUE TO COVER YOUR COUGH and SNEEZE

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then put your tissue in the waste basket

Hand hygiene is the simplest, most effective measure for preventing hospitalacquired infections.

 Programme Created by for Benefit of Medical and Health Care Workers in the Developing World
Email doctortvrao@gmail.com