Back to Basics: Hand Hygiene

The number one way to prevent the spread of infection is to practice proper hand hygiene. Is the staff at your facility vigilant about performing it when they should?

CMS defines hand hygiene as “a general term that applies to washing hands with water and either plain soap or soap/detergent containing an antiseptic agent; or thoroughly applying an alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR).”1

The agency lists the following situations as requiring hand hygiene1:

• When coming on duty
• When hands are visibly soiled (soap and water should be used)
• Before and after direct resident contact
• Before and after performing any invasive procedure, such as fingerstick blood sampling
• Before and after entering isolation precaution settings
• Before and after eating or handling food (soap and water should be used)
• Before and after assisting a resident with meals
• Before and after assisting a resident with personal care (e.g., oral care or bathing)
• Before and after handling peripheral vascular catheters and other invasive devices
• Before and after inserting indwelling catheters
• Before and after changing dressings
• Upon and after coming in contact with a resident's intact skin (such as when taking a pulse or blood pressure or lifting a resident)
• After personal use of the toilet (soap and water should be used)
• Before and after assisting a resident with toileting
• After contact with a resident who has infection diarrhea, including, but not limited to, infections caused by norovirus, salmonella, shigella and C. difficile (soap and water should be used)
• After blowing or wiping your nose
• After contact with a resident's mucous membranes and body fluids or excretions
• After handling soiled or used linens, dressing, bedpans, catheters and urinals
• After handling soiled equipment or utensils
• After performing your personal hygiene (soap and water should be used)
• After removing gloves or aprons
• In food service settings (soap and water)
• After completing duty

The CDC offers a number of resources to assist healthcare facilities with hand hygiene, including promotional materials, guidelines and training tools.

To learn more about the hand hygiene products available from Professional Medical, contact your territory manager, give us a call at (800) 648-5190 or visit us online at promedsupply.com.

Reference
1 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. State Operations Manual. Appendix PP – Guidance to Surveyors for Long Term Facilities (Rev. 133, 02-06-15). Available at: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/downloads/som107ap_pp_guidelines_ltcf.pdf. Accessed February 19, 2015.