Hand Hygiene – Important Tips to Reduce the Spread of Illness
Our hands are the most common vehicle for the transmission of germs. As we touch people, surfaces and objects throughout the day, we create many opportunities for the transmission of germs on hands. In turn, we can infect ourselves with these germs by touching our eyes, nose, or mouth. Good hand hygiene is the first line of defense against the spread communicable diseases and infections. It has the power to save lives and can stop the spread of illness including: common colds, influenza and more serious diseases like COVID-19. We can unknowingly become infected with these types of illness/diseases when we come into contact with infectious agents. It is important that we perform hand hygiene properly and frequently as it is critical in protecting our health and the health of others.
Hand hygiene may be accomplished using soap and running water or alcohol-based hand rub. Learning to wash our hands in the right place, at the right time, and using the right product can significantly decrease the risk of transmission of germs.
When should hand hygiene be performed?
- Before coming in contact with any client
- Before performing an antiseptic task (a task where sterile conditions are required)
- After body fluid exposure risk
- After being in contact with any client
- After any contact with client’s surroundings
When should soap and water be used?
- When hands are visibly soiled with dirt or organic substances (e.g., blood, mucous)
- In health care facilities bar soaps must not be used for hand hygiene
- Bar soaps are allowed for personal use and must be stored in a soap rack to allow drainage and drying
When should an alcohol based hand sanitize be used?
- When there is no visible dirt on hands
- Use 70 to 90% alcohol-based hand rub for hand hygiene in all health care settings
- Sanitizer should not be used immediately after hand washing with soap and water as it will result in more irritation of the hands
Best practice recommendations to enable effective hand hygiene:
- Nails must be kept clean and short
- Nail polish, if worn, must be fresh and free of cracks or chips
- Artificial nails or nail enhancements must not be worn
- It is preferred that rings not be worn
- Hand and arm jewelry, including watches, must be removed or pushed up above the wrist by staff caring for clients/patients/residents before performing hand hygiene