Best Practices for Hand Hygiene:

Our hands are often the most exposed parts of our body on a daily basis and are prone to become a breeding ground for bacteria and germs. Especially for healthcare providers, sanitisation is the key to a healthy environment for everyone from fellow staff to patients. With the recent pandemic developments, many people are more cautious than ever and now value hand hygiene. However, washing your hands or using hand sanitiser may not be a guarantee to avoid being exposed to infections or bacteria. Follow these easy best practices to ensure the most effective hand hygiene in your facility.

Best Techniques for Hand Washing

Traditional handwashing with soap and water remains one of the foolproof methods of maintaining hand hygiene, but if it’s carried out right. This considers how and when the hands are washed. A study conducted by the USDA found that 97% of participants weren’t washing their hands in an effective way that ensures cleanliness. So what is considered the right procedure for washing hands?

First, washing hands with any form of hand soap must be a frequent occurrence, not from time to time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) recommends healthcare workers to wash their hands:

• Before and after direct contact with a patient,
• After using the toilet,
• Before and after eating,
• Before and after contact with bodily fluids or open wounds,
• After use of gloves.

In addition to this, hands must be washed under hot or cold water, with an application of soap, thoroughly massaged for at least twenty seconds then rinsed. Then, the hands must carefully be dried with a towel or other preferred drying method.

Use of Hand Hygiene Products

Daily use of hand soap and other skincare products are necessities for hygiene, but it’s important to know what products to use under what circumstances. For example, many people may use hand soap and hand sanitiser interchangeably when, in reality, each has their specific use. As a rule of thumb, hand sanitizer should be used in-between regular hand washing instead of acting as a replacement since it does not remove bacteria as effectively. The same goes for similar products such as antibacterial wipes and sprays.

The incorporation of lotions and creams into your hygiene routine can be a great plus as long as you use products that are right for your skin type and don’t cause irritation. Another product that is commonly thought to replace hand washing is medical gloves. Similar to hand sanitisers, wearing gloves does not replace the need to wash your hands, and it is still recommended to switch gloves in between touching different surfaces that are prone to germs.

External Threats to Hand Hygiene

Besides how well or frequently a healthcare worker washes their hands and uses hand hygiene products, there are other factors that may still reduce hand hygiene. Nails are a key part of the hand that potentially hold harmful bacteria that you may be unaware of. Residue under nails (especially artificial or long nails) and on nail polish are silent transmitters of bacteria. For this reason, it’s recommended that healthcare workers keep their nails trimmed and clean to reduce this risk. Additionally, hand jewelry such as rings require frequent cleaning, but it’s best to leave them off, especially when working with high-risk patients just in case.

Overall, by keeping the following simple pointers in mind, you can make your healthcare facility excel with its hand hygiene.

• washing hands for longer than 20 seconds,
• maintaining nail health,
• and avoiding jewellery near patients.

Maintaining hand hygiene is a plus to both personal health and the reduction of disease or bacterial transmissions to patients. So let’s stay healthy and safe together!