Hand Hygiene and Infection Control

Hands are the most common way germs travel from one patient to another, and from a surface to a patient.

Infections picked up during care can lengthen a stay, send a home health patient back to the hospital, and in the worst cases cost a life. Most of them are preventable.

Clean hands protect the patient in front of you, the next patient you see, and you.

Clean your hands at these moments:

• Before touching a patient
• Before a clean or sterile task, such as wound care or handling a catheter
• After any chance of contact with body fluids, even if you wore gloves
• After touching a patient
• After touching the patient's surroundings: bed rails, the bedside table, equipment

Also clean your hands when you arrive at a home or unit, before you leave, before eating, and after using the restroom.

An alcohol-based hand rub is the everyday choice when hands are not visibly dirty. Cover every surface of both hands and rub until dry, about 20 seconds.

Use soap and water instead when:

• Hands are visibly dirty or soiled with body fluids
• The patient has, or may have, C. difficile or another germ that hand rub does not kill well
• After using the restroom and before eating

With soap, wet your hands, lather and scrub for at least 20 seconds, including the backs of hands, between fingers and under nails. Rinse, dry with a clean towel, and use the towel to turn off the tap.

Gloves never replace hand cleaning. Clean your hands before putting gloves on and right after taking them off.

Put equipment on in this order:

1. Gown
2. Mask or respirator
3. Goggles or face shield
4. Gloves, pulled over the gown cuffs

Take it off in this order, so the dirtiest items come off first:

1. Gloves
2. Goggles or face shield
3. Gown
4. Mask or respirator, touching only the ties or straps

Clean your hands right after removing everything, and any time your hands touch the outside of used equipment.