3. Hand Hygiene

Question 1

How should you wash your hands?

Answer 1

6 step hand washing

Question 2

What are the 6 steps of hand washing?

Answer 2

Palm to palm.
Right palm over left dorsum and left palm over right dorsum.
Palm to palm, fingers interlaced.
Backs of fingers (knuckles) to opposing palms with fingers interlocked.
Rotational rubbing of right palm clasped in left palm then vice versa.
Rotational rubbing backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of hand in left palm then vice versa.

Question 3

What areas does the 6 step handwashing technique clean?

Answer 3

Palms
Backs of hands
Spaces between fingers
Backs of fingers - knuckles
Thumbs
Finger tips
Wrists

Question 4

What accessories should be removed before handwashing?

Answer 4

Watches, rings (allowed wedding ring if it’s a plain band), bracelets, false nails, nail polish, skin abrasions should be covered

Question 5

What is the NHS policy on wearing jewellery as a healthcare worker?

Answer 5

Only allowed one ring (wedding band) and one set of earrings (lobe).
No necklaces, bracelets, watches etc allowed.

Question 6

What is a resident microorganism?

Answer 6

Lives naturally on the skin
Not readily transferred to other people or surfaces
Difficult to remove from the skin
In most cases don’t tend to cause infection

Question 7

What are transient microorganisms?

Answer 7

Come and go depending on hand contact in the course of a day.
Easily picked up and passed on to others.
Can be removed or killed easily by performing hand hygiene with liquid soap and water or using alcohol-based hand gels/rubs.

Question 8

What should you do before hand hygiene?

Answer 8

Ensure sink is free from clutter
Ensure wrists and forearms are exposed
Remove watches, bracelets, rings etc.
Ensure fingernails are clean and short & artificial products removed
Cover cuts/abrasions with a waterproof dressing

Question 9

How long should you wash your hands for?

Answer 9

40-60 seconds

Question 10

How should you dry your hands?

Answer 10

Patting not rubbing

Question 11

How long should you hand sanitise for?

Answer 11

20-30 seconds using the same technique as hand washing

Question 12

When would hand sanitising not be satisfactory?

Answer 12

In between patients

When hands are visibly soiled

Question 13

What are non-antimicrobial soaps?

Answer 13

Detergent-based products.
Minimal antimicrobial activity.
Will remove loosely adherent transient micro-organisms along with dirt and organic matter.
Result in good hand hygiene and reduce micro-organisms through physical action and the detergent effect.

Question 14

What are antimicrobial soaps?

Answer 14

Cause an increased reduction in the number of transient and resident micro-organisms found on hands than the use of soap alone.
Many have a residual effect, preventing growth for several hours.
e.g. chlorhexidine, iodine

Question 15

What are alcohol-based hand rubs?

Answer 15

More effective than non-antimicrobial soap
As effective as antimicrobial soap in reducing micro-organisms
Should not be used when caring for a Pt with GIT infection e.g. norovirus or c. diff

Question 16

Why should you wash your hands before touching a patient?

Answer 16

To protect the patient against colonisation and against exogenous infection by harmful germs on your hands

Question 17

Why should you wash your hands after touching patient surroundings?

Answer 17

To protect you from colonisation with patient germs that may be present on surfaces/objects in patient surroundings and to protect the health-care environment against germ spread.

Question 18

What other occasions should you perform hand hygiene? In reference to the dental environment.

Answer 18

On arrival at work
Before putting on gloves
Before preparing and giving medications
Before and after using a computer keyboard
After using the toilet
After handling waste
After blowing/touching your nose
Before leaving work

Question 19

Why do people fail to comply with hand hygiene?

Answer 19

Skin irritation
Inaccessible hand hygiene facilities
Patient needs are a priority over hand hygiene
Forgetfulness
Insufficient time
Lack of risk awareness

Question 20

What is the preferred solution to be used when hands are not visibly soiled?

Answer 20

Alcohol-based hand gels

Question 21

Which areas are frequently missed in hand washing?

Answer 21

Finger tips
Thumbs
In between fingers

Question 22

What are the 5 moments for hand hygiene?

Answer 22

Before touching the patient
Before clean/aseptic procedure
After body fluid exposure risk
After touching a patient
After touching patient surroundings