Hand hygiene

1. Hand hygiene Jodie Burr Infection Control Coordinator Women’s and Children’s Hospital

2. Hand Hygiene • The single most effective method in the prevention of disease transmission • 80 % hospital acquired infections are thought to be transmitted by hands • Healthcare workers think they wash their hands more than what they do

3. Reasons for poor compliance • heavy workloads (too busy) • sinks are poorly located • skin irritation caused by frequent exposure to soap and water • hands don’t look dirty • hand washing takes too long

4. Improving compliance • Introduction of Aqium • For all clinical areas throughout hospital • For all staff that have patient contact • Already used within other South Australian hospitals

5. Advantages of alcohol based hand gel • takes less time to use than water • is more accessible than sinks • cause less skin irritation and dryness • is effective in reducing the number of bacteria on hands • has led to improved hand hygiene practices

6. When to use soap and water vs Aqium Soap and water • When hands are visibly soiled / contaminated • After contact with body fluids / mucous membranes Aqium • When hands are NOT visibly soiled / contaminated: • Clean procedures

7. How to use Aqium Dispense gel onto palm without touching the nozzle Rub hands together • Ensure gel is distributed over all surfaces, including: • Fingers • Thumbs • Back of hands • Finger tips • Between thumbs and fingers Allow gel to dry prior to touching anything

8. Tips for using Aqium • If after cleaning your hands 5 to 10 times with an alcohol-based handrub, you feel a “build-up” of emollients on your hands, wash your hands with soap and water. • If you clean your hands with an alcohol-based handrub before putting on gloves, make sure the alcohol has dried completely before putting on gloves.