Clean care for all – it's in your hands
By Robyn Boyne, Clinical Nurse Specialist Infection
Prevention and Control.
May 5 is Hand Hygiene Day but clean hands
are in everyone’s hands every day. Hand
hygiene is the single most important procedure
for preventing cross infection and the spread
of micro-organisms to and from patients and
healthcare workers.
Healthcare workers have the greatest potential to spread micro-
organisms that cause healthcare associated infections in patients,
therefore hand hygiene must be performed at the point of care
– before and after every direct patient contact, and immediately
before and after any invasive procedure, as per the 5 ‘moments’
for hand hygiene.
The latest update for hand hygiene emphasises making sure you
apply the alcohol gel to your finger- tips so they are as clean as
possible, and continuing to rub the gel in, all over your hands until
it is totally absorbed.
Clean hands are also important for non-clinical staff working in all
parts of a healthcare organisation.
4
One pump of ABHR or
liquid soap to the palm
of cupped hand. Rub palm to palm
Go between the fingers Backs of your hands
Clean your hands
Before
• Starting or leaving work
• Eating or handling of food/drinks (whether your
own or patient’s)
Or after
• Hands becoming visibly soiled
• Eating or handling food/drinks (whether your own
or patient’s)
• Visiting the toilet
• Using a computer keyboard
• Blowing, wiping or touching nose and mouth.
Gloves are not a substitute for hand hygiene.
You must clean your hands before you put
them on, and again after you take them off.
They should be removed immediately after
performing the task you put them on for.
Rub nails against
palm of each hand