What you will learn:
• The purpose of hand washing
• The technique for proper hand washing
• How hand washing prevents the spread of disease
Hygiene refers to practices associated with ensuring good health and cleanliness. In-home aides play a vital role in preventing the spread of disease by learning and practicing proper hand washing and by teaching their client’s the importance of proper hand washing.
The main purpose of washing hands is to cleanse the hands of pathogens (including bacteria or
viruses) and chemicals which can cause personal harm or disease. This is especially important
for people who handle food or work in the medical field. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) has stated: "It is well-documented that the most important measure for
preventing the spread of pathogens is effective hand washing”. Infections are diseases that are caused by bacteria or viruses and are invisible to the human eye. Infections spread when the
bacteria and viruses are carried from one site or person to another.
When we have bacteria or viruses on our hands, we can spread them to ourselves or to others
that we touch with our hands, this makes hand washing the most important way to prevent
spreading infections.
Infectious diseases spread through two types of contact
Direct contact
An easy way to catch most infectious diseases is by coming in contact with someone who has one. This "someone" can be a person, an animal or, for an unborn baby, its mother.
Indirect contact
Disease-causing organisms can also be passed along by indirect contact. Many germs can linger on an inanimate object, such as a tabletop, doorknob or faucet handle. When you touch the same doorknob grasped by someone ill with the flu or a cold, for example, you can pick up the germs he or she left behind.
A simple way to stay healthy
Hand washing doesn't take much time or effort, but it offers great rewards in terms of preventing illness. Adopting this simple habit can play a major role in protecting your health.
Hand washing is a simple habit that can help keep you healthy. Learn the benefits of good hand hygiene, when to wash your hands and how to clean them properly.
The dangers of not washing your hands
Despite the proven health benefits of hand washing, many people don't practice this habit as often as they should — even after using the toilet. Throughout the day you accumulate germs on your hands from a variety of sources, such as direct contact with people, contaminated surfaces, foods, even animals and animal waste. If you don't wash your hands frequently enough, you can infect yourself with these germs by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. And you can spread these germs to others by touching them or by touching surfaces that they also touch, such as doorknobs.
Infectious diseases that are commonly spread through hand-to-hand contact include the common cold, flu and several gastrointestinal disorders, such as infectious diarrhea. While most people will get over a cold, the flu can be much more serious. Some people with the flu, particularly older adults and people with chronic medical problems, can develop pneumonia. The combination of the flu and pneumonia, in fact, is the eighth leading cause of death among Americans.
Inadequate hand hygiene also contributes to food-related illnesses, such as salmonella and E. coli infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 76 million Americans get a foodborne illness each year. Of these, about 5,000 die as a result of their illness. Others experience the annoying signs and symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Proper hand-washing techniques
Good hand-washing techniques include washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Antimicrobial wipes or towelettes are just as effective as soap and water in cleaning your hands but aren't as good as alcohol-based sanitizers. Antibacterial soaps have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, these soaps are no more effective at
killing germs than is regular soap. Using antibacterial soaps may lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the products' antimicrobial agents — making it even harder to kill these germs in the future. In general, regular soap is fine. The combination of scrubbing your hands with soap — antibacterial or not — and rinsing them with water loosens and removes bacteria from your hands.
Proper hand washing with soap and water
Follow these instructions for washing with soap and water:
*Wet your hands with warm, running water and apply liquid soap or use clean bar soap. Lather well.
*Rub your hands vigorously together for at least 15 to 20 seconds.
*Scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails
*Rinse well.
*Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel.
*Use a towel to turn off the faucet.
Proper use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers — which don't require water — are an excellent alternative to hand washing, particularly when soap and water aren't available. They're actually more effective than soap and water in killing bacteria and viruses that cause disease. Commercially prepared hand sanitizers contain ingredients that help prevent skin dryness. Using these products can result in less skin dryness and irritation than hand washing.
Not all hand sanitizers are created equal, though. Some "waterless" hand sanitizers don't contain alcohol. Use only the alcohol-based products. The CDC recommends choosing products that contain at least 60 percent alcohol.
Resources- Wikipedia; Marrelli- Home Health Aide Guidelines for Care, second edition; Mayo clinic.com
In-Home Aides Partners in Quality Care is a monthly newsletter published for members. © Copyright AHHC 2009
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