Course Description
Hand hygiene refers to the practice of regular hand cleaning either with soap and water or hand sanitizer. The hands are known mediums for the transfer of many potential pathogens from one patient to another, from a contaminated object to a patient, and from a staff member to a patient. Hand hygiene is regarded as the single most important procedure to prevent the spread of infection. To protect patients from healthcare-associated infections, care providers are being advised to regularly perform hand hygiene before and after any interaction with a patient.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize that the hands are a known medium for the transfer of many pathogens from one patient to another, from a contaminated object to a patient, and from a staff member to a patient.
- Acknowledge that hand hygiene is regarded as the single most important procedure to prevent the spread of infection.
- Review proper degloving technique to reduce chances of contamination of the hands.
- Review when it is appropriate to use hand sanitizers versus soap and water.
- Review the procedure of proper hand hygiene with soap and water.
- Describe how compliance to hand hygiene is monitored in many healthcare organizations.
- List reasons for non-compliance with proper hand hygiene.
- Acknowledge that clean hands can save lives.