Recently a New England Journal of Medicne article http://www.jwatch * noted: The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and others have released expert guidance on proper hand hygiene in the healthcare setting in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. Among the recommendations:
• Soap and alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHR) should be conveniently located for routine hand hygiene in all areas where patients are seen. Staff members should be consulted on the products’ tolerability.
• Healthcare workers should wash their hands with soap and water or use ABHR before direct patient contact, preparing or handling patients’ medications, and moving from a contaminated body site to a clean body site on a patient.
• Hands should also be cleaned before and after using an invasive device and after contact with bodily fluids, direct contact with a patient, or contact with a patient’s surroundings.
• When hands are visibly soiled, healthcare workers should use soap and water, not ABHR. Soaps containing triclosan should be avoided because of the risk for antimicrobial resistance.
* “New Hand-Hygiene Guidelines Issued” by Kelly Young , http://www.jwatch.org/fw109064/2014/07/17/new-hand-hygiene-guidelines-issued?query=pfw
Doctor, Did You Wash Your Hands? ™ provides information to consumers on understanding, managing and navigating health care options.
Jonathan M. Metsch, Dr.P.H., is Clinical Professor, Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; and Adjunct Professor, Baruch College ( C.U.N.Y.), Rutgers School of Public Health, and Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration
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