Effect of Antiseptic Handwashing vs Alcohol Hand Sanitizer

Another problem that goes with the lack of hand-hygiene compliance is the many excuses that healthcare workers use to avoid washing their hands. Hass and Larson summarize (2009) some of the barriers to adherence that healthcare workers use, “a lack of access to hand-washing sinks, insufficient time, skin irritations, and lack of accountability” (Hass & Larson, 2009). Some solutions they explain to combat the barriers are to put more alcohol-based sanitizers where sinks are not around and placing them all over the patient care areas also reduces time and can be a suitable way for proper hand hygiene if the healthcare worker’s hand is not soiled. They also describe, “Involve staff in trying several alcohol-based hand sanitizers before deciding on one, and involve employee health services in creating a plan to manage hand-skin problems among staff. Alcohol-based sanitizers that have lotion in them can be helpful for staff who have very sensitive skin” (Hass & Larson, 2009).

While I’m working at the nursing home I always carry hand sanitizer in my scrub pocket. Since it is so easy for certified nursing assistants to transfer germs from one resident to another hand sanitizer is a good thing to keep close by until we have time to wash our hands at a sink. It is surprising how much sanitizer can used over a 8-hour or 12-hour shift. Besides using hand sanitizer, I also wash many hands many times throughout the shift. Hand sanitizer, water, and soap are all made up of different compounds, but they share a similar quality of cleansing something to remove

Keeping our hands clean is one of the most effcient and important steps we can do as humans to avoid getting sick or spreading germs to other people. Unwashed hands spread many diseases such as the flue, E. coli, and salmonella. Unfortunately, hand hygiene is still one of today’s most leading causes of infection in health care facilities. The risk of clinicians, patients, and visitors not complying with hand hygiene protocols creates a practice problem for nurses and their patient care. The cause of health care infections, also known as, health care-associated infections (HAIs) are increasing along with the rise of the inability to control or treat infections that are multi-drug resistant. Lack of proper hand hygiene is a major problem in clinical settings sourcing from critical care divisions where the most contaminations are prevalent. This paper will discuss how hand hygiene affects the nursing process and solutions of how to better prevent HAIs within the nursing scope of practice.

This study was intended to prove that hand hygiene practiced according to the CDC guidelines will decrease the incidence of hospital acquired infections. This could not really be proved in this study since the hospitals were not able to maintain improvement in hand hygiene. Health care workers were familiar with guidelines but significant practice changes were not maintained. Some of the infection rates did improve during this time but the correlation with hand hygiene is not consistent. There were other practice changes occurring during this same time and those changes may be responsible for the decreased infection rates.

The purpose of this author for this project is to analyze current literature reviews to establish a firm basis to implement evidence based central line bundle intervention to decrease catheter related blood stream infection in neonatal intensive care unit.

Generations of people have considered handwashing a measure of personal hygiene. In 1847, Dr. Semmelweis insisted that healthcare providers wash their hands with disinfecting agents between patients. This early hand hygiene practice resulted in a decrease in mortality rates among hospital patients (CDC, 2002). The CDC’s Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee published the Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings in 2002 that is based on hand hygiene foundations developed in generation past. In 2014, this guideline is still available online and used as a reference

The hospital is compliant with infection control protocol according to the CDC standard guidelines. “Hand hygiene, contact precautions, as well as cleaning and disinfecting patient care equipment and the patient’s environment are essential strategies for preventing the spread of health care–associated infections. Hand hygiene is addressed in NPSG.07.01.01. Contact precautions for patients with

Patients have observed several physicians and nurses not washing their hands before interacting with patients. Hand hygiene is one of the largest tactics to combat nosocomial infections. The hospital should adopt a culture of 100% compliance with hand washing. The first step would be to increase handwashing stations and have more quick-dry alcohol-based antibacterial soap dispensers. Making access easier and decreasing the time taken to wash one’s hands would encourage adherence the policy. Furthermore, each floor should track hand washing and report data of potential nosocomial infections caused by improper handwashing. Keeping patients protected from bacteria is important especially when most are in an immunocompromised

(McCaughey, 2016). The Center of Disease Control recommends hand washing with vigorous scrubbing for at least 15 seconds with soap and water. Using alcohol based gel hand sanitizer can be an appropriate alternative if soap and water is not readily available but does possess drawbacks including being ineffective against alcohol resistant bacteria. Programs for surveillance have also been implemented in hospitals with the intention of monitoring staff to ensure that policies are being followed to ensure the safety of the patients. Mandated reporting of hospital-specific rates and statistics for healthcare-associated infections has the potential to serve a purpose that could result in bringing down the instance for infection. Being forced to announce to the public infections rates versus other healthcare organizations has the potential for higher administration to implement better policies to assure their good standing in the eye of the

Prevention strategies of nosocomial infections related to poor hand hygiene include revision of: orientation, training processes, competency assessments, equipment cleaning, handwashing procedures, switching to the use of single-use IV flush vials, adding strategically located waterless hand rubs, defining supervisory expectations, conducting in-services, team trainings, and tracking systems (Infection control related sentinel events, 2003). Potential solutions to noncompliance include: consistent skin protectant application, reduced time required for handwashing, and antiseptic stations at the bedside and room entry points (Boyce, 1999). Hospital administrators must create an organizational atmosphere in which adherence to recommended HH practices are considered an integral part of providing high-quality care (Boyce, 1999). Improvement in infection control

Nurses play a pivotal role in preventing hospital-acquired infections (HAI), not only by ensuring that all aspects of their nursing practice is evidence based, but also through nursing research and patient education.Hand hygiene is widely acknowledged to be the single most important activity for reducing the spread of disease.Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used to protect both yourself and your patient from the risks of cross-infection.Gloves should be worn whenever there might be

One of the commonest modes of transmission for infection is our hands. As care assistants, our hands come into contact with many possible infectious agents such as body excretions and secretions for example blood, urine, faeces, vomit and sputum. If good hand hygiene isn’t practiced, micro-organisms will be passed from one individual to another. General cleanliness, including general, environmental, equipment and materials reduce the sources of infection within the care home.

Healthcare associated infections have an impact on patients - how? Can be prevented greatly with compliance to hand hygiene protocols (REF).

The study design comprises of both qualitative and quantitative approaches for exploring the current practices of cleaning the resuscitation device among the providers in union level settings (Family Welfare Visitor) and in communities (Community Skilled Birth Attendant) to find out if that practice adequately meets the requirements of standard infection prevention guideline and its associated gaps and challenges. The study involves a direct observation of simulation of the preparatory activities prior to conduction of deliveries and cleaning and disinfection process for the neonatal resuscitation device, pre and post cleaning collection of specimens from parts of the device (bag-mask and sucker) and lab-test of specimens.

To effectively clean hands, water alone is not enough. The use of soap and detergents help in the solubility of the contaminants for easy removal. Antibacterial soaps and hand antiseptics can also be used for cleaning hands. There are critical times when washing hands are necessary; after visiting toilets, after changing diapers, before eating, before and after preparing foods like fish, poultry, and meat. This practice also helps in preventing diarrhoea, influenza, and child death. Embracing this will ensure that nurses achieve their goals of saving lives (Goldmann, 2006).