Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Essays on handwashing
State Technical College-Fundamentals of Nursing Healthcare Handwashing A Brief Overview Howard Lewis 9-18-2017 Handwashing with soap and water has been an integral part of religious and cultural habits for centuries. The correlation between handwashing and the spread of disease was established in the 1800s. Handwashing is successful in preventing the spread of infection and this theory was proven by Ignaz Semmelweis in a maternity ward in Austria in 1847. Despite solid evidence, his theory was met with great opposition. He found that handwashing greatly reduced the incidence and spread of Child Bed Fever aka Perpetual Fever. He noticed that after medical students had been in the autopsy suites their hands would still smell strongly after …show more content…
In addition, healthcare workers’ handwashing technique differs from the one you use at home. It is “important that all surfaces of the hands are cleaned thoroughly to dislodge and wash away pathogens” (Burton & Ludwig, 2015, pg. 261). The spread of pathogens in a healthcare setting happens with high likelihood. Therefore, it is imperative to wash one’s hands in the following situations. First, upon entering the patient’s room, secondly, anytime your hands are visibly dirty, third, between caring for two patients in the same room, forth, immediately after removing your gloves, and finally after touching body fluids, secretions, excretions, or contaminated …show more content…
These guidelines state that when hand washing with soap and water is not a good option then the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizing gels can be used. These should be applied correctly before and after each patient to cover all surfaces of the hands and fingers. If the hands have particular matter on them, they should be washed with water and soap before applying these gels. The guidelines also state that using handwashing or hand sanitizing gels does not replace the use of gloves. In addition, one should keep nails trimmed short and not wear artificial nails in a healthcare setting for optimal hand hygiene (Burton & Ludwig, 2015, pgs.
Yes, hand hygiene is necessary after removing gloves. Wearing gloves only reduces hand contamination by 70% to 80%, nothing is 100% so in order to have the least amount of infectious materials on your skin frequent hand washing is
The merits of double-gloving are obvious to many individuals; it provides two layers of protection instead of one, for instance. Greater protection from pathogens is implied in this system. One might assume that in clinical settings, it would be foolish not to require healthcare workers to double-glove. There are, however, downsides to the double-glove system, as well as lack of improvement in preventing the spread of pathogens when comparing double-gloving to single-gloving. These factors must also be explored before double-gloving can be crowned as a superior method for protecting both patients and clinicians from the spread of pathogens.
“The CDC is the primary developer of national infection control and prevention guidelines, often in collaboration with its Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, which is responsible for research and dissemination of the latest information for preventing disease transmission” (Griffis, 2013, p. 175). Infection control will continue to be a topic of discussion as long as germ transmission is still happening. Among these studies is the concern the frequent nonadherence to contact precautions is a huge issue that many studies are still very concerned about (Jessee & Mion, 2013, p. 966). The writer is also concerned with the blatant disregard for hand hygiene that appears to be happening in the medical field. What about what is best for the patient. Do the people that do not use proper hand hygiene not understand how important it
Obviously soap and warm water for 20 seconds or hand sanitizer. I will admit I was one of those that didn’t classify “handwashing” as using hand sanitizer, to me washing is soap and water, but it is considered washing and sometimes much more convenient than to be at a sink. But with all that in mind, we also need to remember when it is appropriate to use hand sanitizer. Alcohol based sanitizer kills most of the bad germs, but it does not kill C. difficile, a common healthcare-associated infection that causes diarrhea (CDC, May 5, 2017). If you are caring for a patient with this illness, then you must wash your hands with the real soap and water, no shortcuts! As well as when our hands are visibly soiled. Who wants to walk around with dirty hands anyway? In 2009, Cambridge University did a study correlating on compliance and no compliance with handwashing hygiene and guidelines in hospital care. There were 96 empirical studies, most of which were done in ICU units. They found and overall compliance of 40%. Unadjusted compliance rates were lower in intensive care units (30%-40%0, than in other settings (50%-60%), lower among physicians (32%) than among nurses and before (21%) rather than after (47%) patient contact. The majority of the time, the situations that were associated with low compliance rates were those with a high activity level/or those in which the physician was involved. The majority of the time, the situations that were associated with a higher compliance rate were those having to do with dirty tasks, the introduction of alcohol-based hand rub or gel, performance feedback and accessibility of materials (Cambridge, March
This literature review will analyze and critically explore four studies that have been conducted on hand hygiene compliance rates by Healthcare workers (HCWs). Firstly, it will look at compliance rates for HCWs in the intensive care units (ICU) and then explore the different factors that contribute to low hand hygiene compliance. Hospital Acquired infections (HAI) or Nosocomial Infections appear worldwide, affecting both developed and poor countries. HAIs represent a major source of morbidity and mortality, especially for patients in the ICU (Hugonnet, Perneger, & Pittet, 2002). Hand hygiene can be defined as any method that destroys or removes microorganisms on hands (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). According to the World Health Organization (2002), a HAI can be defined as an infection occurring in a patient in a hospital or other health care facility in whom the infection was not present or incubating at the time of admission. The hands of HCWs transmit majority of the endemic infections. As
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines hand hygiene as, “a general term that applies to routine hand washing, antiseptic hand wash, antiseptic hand rub, or surgical hand antisepsis.” (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2013) The idea of hand washing has been around for centuries. In the mid-1800’s Ignaz Semmelweis established that hospital-acquired diseases were transmitted via the hands of health care workers. After Semmelweis observed physicians and health care workers in the obstetric setting and studied mortality rates he recommended that hands be scrubbed in a chlorinated lime solution before coming in contact with every patient. Following the implementation of Semmelweis’s recommendation mortality rates associated with childbirth fell from seven percent to three percent. Although Semmelweis observation and recommendations were significant fellow physicians and colleagues did not adopt them. The 1980’s posed as a crucial time for health care in the sense of hand hygiene. This was when the first national hand hygiene guidelines were published in the 1980s. In 1995 and 1996, the CDC/Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) in the USA suggested that either antimicrobial soap or a waterless antiseptic agent be use...
Each year the number of health care associated infections (HAI) increases and has been estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of people around the world. In the United States this accounts for approximately 1 in 25 patients ("Hand Hygiene Basics," 2014). Health care associated infections are considered to be the most persistant adverse event in health care. Hand washing is considered to be one of the best methods for preventing the spread of infection and that poor hand hygiene places patients at high risk ("The Evidence for Clean," n.d.). Patients receiving care in hospitals, long term care facilities, and nursing homes are especially at high risk for developing infections while being cared for. Most health care associated infections
There are numerous of supporting evidence on hand hygiene practices and their impact on hospital-acquired infections. Research studies conclude that educating staff on compliance with hand hygiene appears to be the best way to help reduce transmission of hospital-acquired infections (Mathai, George, & Abraham, 2011). One evidence-based research study used a before-and-after prospective observational intervention study to explore the proposed innovation described below.
The studies provided in the literature review prove that. It is believed that hand washing is the best thing to do to kill bacteria but as study show hand sanitizing is more efficient (Michaels, 2014). The experiment mentioned before done at the University College of Health Studies proves that hand sanitizing is the best way to kill bacteria in hands (2015). The best way to prevent hospital acquired infections is to wash hands in situations where it is necessary, like when hands are visibly soiled, and use hand sanitizer in situations that are appropriate. In other words use your judgment. Because studies also show that washing hands too often can have damaging effects to hands it is not recommended to use hand washing only (Michaels, 2014). It takes about 20 seconds to wash your hands and 5 seconds to use hand sanitizer. Such a big difference can be made in the prevention of hospital acquired infections by just performing that very simple task that doesn’t take very long to do and so many lives can be saved as
Hand decontamination is the use of hand wash or alcohol rub that reduces the number of bacteria on the hands. Hand decontamination is also referred to as ‘hand hygiene’. Hand Hygiene is an integral part of nursing care, as effectively decontaminating hands significantly reduces the risk of pathogens being transferred from one surface to another, or from person to person (NICE, 2014). This means, that through practicing good hand hygiene, nurses can actively reduce the incidences of preventable healthcare associated infections, therefore improving the health and mortality of their patients.
Healthcare-associated infections can occur in any type of healthcare facility. It usually begins from cross contamination from healthcare providers to the patient, however, it can come from other patients, hazardous medical procedures, and contaminated surgical tools too. Healthcare workers play the leading role in preventing healthcare-associated infections. Srigley et al. (2013) stated that “Healthcare worker (HCW) hand hygiene is considered to be one of the most important interventions for the prevention of HAIs and AROs. However HCW hand hygiene is typically poor, with a median compliance of 40%, and few interventions have been demonstrated to result in significant and sustained improvement” In order to
I chose the subject of sanitation because it is something that everyone should be able to have available to them. Everyone everywhere should have access to fresh drinking water and appropriate means of adequate sewage disposal. By being able to have apposite sanitation procedures one is able to diminish many diseases and increase a healthier life. Billions of individuals lack the ability to be able to have a place to defecate, let alone a private place to, which leads to open defecation and then in return causes diseases like Cholera. A couple of weeks ago we watched a TEDTalk about sanitation issues, during the video, a picture was shown of a young man who was down in a deep hole covered in fecal matter. Not even a spot of personal protective
Stout, A., Ritchie, K. & Macpherson, K. (2007). Clinical effectiveness of alcohol-based products in increasing hand hygiene compliance and reducing infection rates: a systematic review. Journal Of Hospital Infection, 66 (4), pp. 308--312.
I have learned and will practice that is very critical to know what hand washing technique and disinfection must be used before, during and after performance of every procedures, whether routine or surgical with specific routine and steps. I learned that CDC guidelines are implemented to control infection in medical and dental settings to prevent cross-contamination and are to be followed at any
A list of chores is pinned on the refrigerator for me to complete before my mom gets home from work. I have vacuumed the carpet, cleaned my room, and swept the floor, but my least favorite chore remains: washing the dishes. It would be quick and easy to stick the filthy dishes in the dishwasher; however, the dishwasher is broken. Instead, the mountain of food-covered dishes will have to be scrubbed clean by hand. I will have to prepare the supplies, scrape off the remaining food, rinse and dry the dishes, and put them back into their correct spot in the cupboards and drawers. Washing the dishes is a messy and burdensome process every household must suffer through, unless they want to eat off of paper plates for the rest of their lives.