HAND HYGIENE

PICOT QUESTION

In an acute care hospital, how does

proper hand washing by healthcare
staff compared to improper hand
washing by healthcare staff, prevent
the spread of nosocomial infections
during a patients month long stay?
WHEN SHOULD HAND WASHING BE PERFORMED?

Before touching a patient

Before clean/aseptic procedure
After body fluid exposure risk
After touching a patient
After touching a patients surroundings
SOAP AND WATER VS. ALCOHOL BASED GEL

Soap and Water Alcohol Based Gel

Visibly soiled All other situations
Come into direct
contact with body
fluids
PROPER HAND WASHING
TECHNIQUE
1. Wet hands with water
2. Apply enough soap to coverall hand surfaces

3. Rub hands palm to palm

4. Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers and vice versa

5. Palm to palm with fingers interlaced

6. Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked

7. Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice

versa
8. Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers
of right hand in left palm and vice versa
9. Rinse hand with water

10. Dry hands thoroughly with a single use towel

11. Use towel to turn off faucet

HAND WASHING: PROPER HAND
CARE
ALWAYS wash hands with soap and water
when visibly soiled!
The procedure should take 40-60 seconds
Do not routinely wash hands with soap and
water immediately before and after using
alcohol based hand rub
Do not use hot water to rinse hands
After hand washing, let hands dry
completely before putting on gloves
HAND WASHING: ALWAYS
REMEMBER
NO ARTIFICIAL FINGERNAILS when in
direct contact with patients
Keep natural nails short
USING AND ALCOHOL BASED HAND
RUB
1. Apply a palm full of the product to a cupped hand,
covering all surfaces
2. Rub hands palm to palm
3. Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers and
vice versa
4. Palm to palm with fingers interlaced
5. Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers
interlaced
6. Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm
and vice versa
7. Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped
fingers of right hand in left palm and vice cersa
EVALUATE EFFECTIVENESS
Gold Standard = Direct Observation
How it is being performed
When it is being performed
Who is performing it
WHY IS HAND HYGIENE SO
IMPORTANT?
The World Health Organization states,
Thousands of people die every day
around the world from infections
acquired while receiving health care
(2015).
REFERENCES
Center for Disease Control. (2015). Measuring hand
hygiene adherence: overcoming the challenges .
Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/handhygiene/Measurement.html
World Health Organization. (2015). Hand hygiene: why,
how, and when? Retrieved from

http://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/Hand_Hygiene_Why_
How_and_When_Brochure.pdf