Hand washing involves the use of soap and water to physically remove microorganisms from your hands. Certain occasions will require hand washing instead of relying on ABHR. You must wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly soiled, have been exposed to any blood or body fluids, or have been exposed to or suspected to have norovirus or C. difficile or Bacillus anthracis (PIDAC, 2012; PIDAC, 2014). The mechanical action of lathering and scrubbing with soap for a minimum of 20 seconds while washing your hands is important to remove transient flora and bacteria. Show
Hand hygiene with water requires soap to dissolve fatty materials and facilitate their subsequent flushing and rinsing with water. Soap must be rubbed on all surfaces of both hands followed by thorough rinsing and drying. Water alone is not suitable for cleaning soiled hands (PIDAC, 2014). The entire procedure should last 40 to 60 seconds and use a soap approved by the health agency. Hand Hygiene with Soap and Water
If hands are visibly soiled and there is no running water available, a moistened cloth or towelette can be used to wipe away the soiled area, followed by the use of an ABHR. Safety Considerations
Common Errors when Washing Hands with Soap and Water
After washing your hands with soap and water, use paper towels to dry your hands. Dry your hands from your fingertips to your wrists in one direction until your hands are thoroughly dried. Drying your hands with paper towels provides the lowest risk of cross-contamination compared to hot-air dryers (PIDAC, 2014). It is important to ensure hands and wrists are thoroughly dried because moisture can harbor microorganisms. Using paper towels decreases the chance of moisture remaining on your hands (PIDAC, 2014). Hot-air dryers can disperse and spread microorganisms that are on the hands and should not be used in clinical settings (PIDAC, 2014). Test Yourself!While watching the interactive video on handwashing with soap and water, apply what you have learned by answering the questions throughout the video. Please note: there is no sound in this video. Watch the following video demonstrating and explaining how to perform hand hygiene with soap and water. As a healthcare provider, you will perform hand hygiene numerous times each shift. Continuously performing hand hygiene can impact the integrity of your skin. It is important to take care of your skin to avoid any skin breakdown, irritation, or lesions. Ask your healthcare facility or occupational health team about the facility’s hand-care program to learn about various techniques to protect your hands. For example, the importance of wearing gloves in colder weather, the rationale for removing jewellery when providing care, or when to use facility approved hand-care lotions at work. Public Health Ontario Just Clean Your Hands Hand Care Program document outlines key strategies to help you protect your hands: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/J/2009/jcyh-hand-care-program.pdf?la=en Test your KnowledgeAttribution Infection Prevention and Control Practices by Michelle Hughes and Kendra Allen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. What is the correct technique for performing hand hygiene using soap and water?Six steps:. Wet hands with warm, running water.. Add soap.. Rub hands vigorously for 20 seconds. Wash all surfaces including: Backs of hands. Wrists. Between fingers. Tips of fingers. ... . Rinse. Keep fingers pointing down.. Dry vigorously with paper or clean cloth towel.. Turn off faucet with towel and open door with towel.. What are the 7 steps of hand hygiene?What are the 7 Steps of Hand Washing?. Step 1: Wet Hands. Wet your hands and apply enough liquid soap to create a good lather. ... . Step 2: Rub Palms Together. ... . Step 3: Rub the Back of Hands. ... . Step 4: Interlink Your Fingers. ... . Step 5: Cup Your Fingers. ... . Step 6: Clean the Thumbs. ... . Step 7: Rub Palms with Your Fingers.. What are the 5 steps of proper hand washing in order?Proper handwashing involves five steps: wet, lather, scrub, rinse, and dry. To wash your hands most effectively: First, wet your hands with clean, running water.
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