Why Is Hand Hygiene Important

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Thousands of people die every day around the world from infections acquired while receiving Healthcare. Hands are the main pathways of germ transmission during Healthcare. Hand hygiene is therefore the most important measure to avoid the transmission of harmful germs and prevent Healthcare-associated infections.
Any health-care worker, caregiver or person involved in direct or indirect patient care needs to be concerned about hand hygiene and should be able to perform it correctly and at the right time.
WHY?
• Thousands of people die every day around the world from infections acquired while receiving health care.
• Hands are the main pathways of germ transmission during health care.
• Hand hygiene is therefore the most important measure to avoid the transmission of harmful germs and
…show more content…
• Keep natural nails short.
Before touching a patient
To protect the patient against colonization and, in some cases, against exogenous infection, by harmful germs carried on your hands. Clean your hands before touching a patient when approaching him/her.
Situations:
• Before shaking hands, before stroking a child’s forehead.
• Before assisting a patient in personal care activities: to move, to take a bath, to eat, to get dressed, etc.
• Before delivering care and other non-invasive treatment: applying oxygen mask, giving a massage.
• Before performing a physical non-invasive examination: taking pulse, blood pressure, chest auscultation, recording ECG.
Before clean / aseptic procedure
To protect the patient against infection with harmful germs, including his/her own germs, entering his/her body.
Clean your hands immediately before accessing a critical site with infectious risk for the patient (e.g. a mucous membrane, non-intact skin, an invasive medical device).
Situations:
• Before brushing the patient’s teeth, instilling eye drops, performing a digital vaginal or rectal

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