Hand Hygiene Counts: Clean Care is Safer Care
by Nancy Mendicino, Infection Preventionist
 

Hand hygiene is one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of infections. We know it’s true. The challenge is to make consistent hand hygiene a part of everything we do in health care, and in our daily lives. Most infections are preventable through good hand hygiene–cleaning hands at the right times and in the right way. 

 

Here is how UT Health San Antonio is ensuring optimal hand hygiene:

 

The first step in hand hygiene promotion was to make it easier by improving product access and providing very high quality hand hygiene products in our practices (with dispensers that function consistently). In January 2018, we initiated our hand hygiene dispenser project, providing new improved dispensers and hand hygiene products. Dedicated installers assisted us in our clinics at UT Health Physicians with the placement of over 500 new hand sanitizer dispensers and close to 800 antiseptic soap dispensers. 

  • Sinks now have new antiseptic foam soap (CHG–chlorhexidine gluconate 2 percent solution)
  • Hand sanitizer dispensers provide Purell foam (ABHR–alcohol based hand rub)

 

The next step is to educate and hold each other accountable for good hand hygiene. The "Clean Hands Count" national campaign aims to:

  • Improve health care provider adherence to CDC hand hygiene recommendations
  • Address the myths and misperceptions about hand hygiene
  • Empower patients to play a role in their care by asking or reminding health care providers to clean their hands.

 

Learn the science behind hand hygiene

  1. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer is the preferred method for cleaning your hands when they are not visibly dirty because it:
    1. Is more effective at killing potentially deadly germs on hands than soap
    2. Requires less time
    3. Is more accessible than handwashing sinks
    4. Produces lower bacterial counts on hands
    5. Improves skin condition with less irritation and dryness than soap and water
  2. Washing with soap and water: 15 versus 20 seconds 
    1. Wash your hands for at least 15 seconds, not specifically 15 seconds.
    2. The time it takes is less important than making sure you clean all areas of your hands.
    3. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are the preferred way to clean your hands in health care facilities when hands are not soiled.

  3. Glove use is not a substitute for cleaning your hands
    1. Always clean your hands after removing gloves. Dirty gloves can soil hands.
    2. It is important to change your gloves and clean your hands if:
      1. Gloves are damaged
      2. Moving from contaminated body site to clean body site
      3. Gloves look dirty or have blood/body fluids on them after completing a task

Our patients deserve "clean care."  Consistent good hand hygiene is essential to safe patient care. Be a hand hygiene champion every day!

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Hand Hygiene Counts: Clean Care is Safer Care
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