Handwashing

Question 1

What’s the importance of Handwashing?

Answer 1

• to prevent health care associated infections (HAI’s)
• protects both patients & health care providers

Question 2

What are the nursing concepts in Hand Hygiene?

Answer 2

• Safety. Minimize risk of infection
• Communication. Educate patients & families
• Professionalism. Uphold hygiene standards

Question 3

What are the types of Handwashing?

Answer 3

• Routine Medical Handwashing
• Surgical Hand Antisepsis

Question 4

What is the purpose of Handwashing?

Answer 4

• to reduce the number of microorganisms on the hand
• to reduce the risk of cross contamination among the client.
• to reduce the risk of transmission of microorganisms to client
• reduce the risk of transmission of infectious organisms to oneself

Question 5

When do we perform medical Handwashing?

Answer 5

1. before touching patient
2. after touching patient
3. before clean/aseptic procedure
4. after touching patients surroundings
5. after body fluid exposure risk

Question 6

What are patient conditions that require handwashing?

Answer 6

• presence of factors that increase patient’s susceptibility to infections & possibility of undiagnosed infection (HIV)
• use of immunosuppressive medication
• recent diagnostic procedures or treatments that penetrated the skin or body cavity
• current nutritional status

Question 7

What are the signs & symptoms indicating the presence of an infection?

Answer 7

• Localized signs like
  swelling,
  redness,
  pain or tenderness w/ palpitation or movement,
  palpable heat at site,
  loss of function of affected body part,
  presence of exudate.
• Systemic indications like
  fever,
  increased pulse & respiratory rate,
  anorexia,
  lack of energy,
  enlarged lymph nodes

Question 8

What is the equipment for Handwashing?

Answer 8

1. soap. liquid or foam.
2. clean warm running water
3. disposable towel or hand dryer
4. alcohol based hand rubs if necessary

Question 9

What are the implementation steps of Handwashing?

Answer 9

1. Remove jewelry
2. Assess hand for any cuts or wounds that may affect the process
3. Assess nails. Ensure they’re short & clean.
4. Stand in front of the sink without leaning on it.
5. Keep your forearms below your elbows
6. Check the water temperature (lukewarm) & water flow (so it doesn’t splash everywhere, since anything wet is unsterile.)
7. wet hands & forearms completely
8. apply enough soap to lather all over hands
9. rub the palms together in circular motion
10. Rub the back of the hands w/ interlocked fingers
11. rub in between interlocked fingers
12. overlap the tips of the fingers within each other & rub to clean nails
13. clean the thumbs in circular/rotation movement from the bottom to the top
14. rub the tips of the fingers onto the palm in circular motions
15. rub the wrists in rotation movement
16. complete each step for a duration of 20 secs
17. rinse the hands clean
18. dry hands w/ disposable paper towel or air dryer
19. close faucet with paper towel or foot
20. ensure no contact with any object until you reach the patient