1. Hand Washing (Skill 1 in Nurse Aide Handbook, pg. 25)

2. Why???? Reduces spread of disease from:
* patient to patient
* patient to health care professional
* health care professional to patient
* Health care professional to health
care professional
* Visitor to patient; patient to visitor
Hand-washing is the single most important method in the prevention and control of infection.

3. Nosocomial Infections
Nosocomial Infection = infection obtained in a hospital or healthcare facility
Good hand washing reduces nosocomial infections
Occur as the result of treatment in a hospital or other healthcare setting, but secondary to the patients’ original condition
First appears within 48 hours or more after admission or
appears within 30 days after discharge
The hospital is responsible for the cost of nosocomial infections

4. When to Wash Up…
At a minimum, Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) recommends hand washing:
When coming on and going off duty
Before and after caring for each resident
Before applying gloves and after removing gloves
After contact with blood, body fluids and contaminated items
When hands are obviously soiled
Before and after eating, drinking, smoking, using the bathroom, handling contact lenses, wiping nose, using lip balm

5. Proper hand washing techniques
Soap (aids in the removal of pathogens)
Warm water
Friction
All surfaces of the hands must be cleaned – palms, backs, between the fingers.
Nails must be cleaned
Wash for 20 seconds (happy birthday song twice)
Make note of where paper towels are prior to hand washing.

6. Proper hand washing techniques
Fingertips should be pointed downward – prevents water from getting on forearms and then running back down onto the hands and re- contaminating them.
Avoid leaning against sink or splashing uniform during hand washing.
Do not touch the inside of sink or faucet handles with clean hands.
Dry paper towels are used to turn faucet on and off – prevents contamination of hands from organisms on the faucet.

7. Nurse Aide Handbook Skill #1 (pg 25)
Hand Washing Video

8. Hand Sanitizer Hospitals use sanitizers that are alcohol based
Kill microbes chemically
Use if hands aren’t visibly soiled
If hands are visibly dirty, you must wash your hands with soap and warm water

9. Benefits of Hand Sanitizer
Faster than hand washing
Kills microorganisms quickly
More accessible than sinks
Reduce bacterial counts on hands
Less irritating than soap and water

10. How to use hand sanitizer
You cannot use hand sanitizer if your hands are visibly soiled
Apply a quarter-sized amount to the palm of one hand
Rub hands together covering all surfaces of hands and fingers
Rub until sanitizer is absorbed