Hand hygiene making the difference

Working in private practice, public health facilities, or wherever, busy schedules tend to make health care workers attempt to cut corners in their schedules. One area of critical concern is the act of hand washing. Techniques have been taught for decades because data indicates the importance of handwashing that is essential for reducing bacteria flora present on our skin. Handwashing also reduces the transference of organisms to patients. It was found that handwashing reduces two types of bacterial flora--resident flora and transient flora. CDC's Guidelines for Infection Control in Dentistry, 1986, 1993, and 2003, found hand hygiene as the most critical measure to prevent cross-contamination for health care workers (HCW) and health care patients (HCP), and patient to patient (PTP). Estimates list fewer than 50% of hospitals and other health care facilities follow the standard guidelines for handwashing, insufficient time allocated to wash, and not washing all hand surfaces. Hand hygiene is identified as handwashing, hand antisepsis, and hand surgical antisepsis. Presenter will review CDC established Guidelines for Hand Hygiene. Four categories of soaps will be discussed for health care workers use. Prior to handwashing, general protocols will be identified to reduce contamination. An outline of three healthcare worker handwashing techniques will be discussed. Healthcare workers should be meticulous regarding hand care and hand hygiene. With evidence-based research, hand hygiene and care should always preclude our duties due to a healthcare workers' responsibility to always provide safety first where ever one works