Hand Hygiene

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Introduction[edit | edit source]

Hand Hygiene is a general term that applies to either handwashing, antiseptic handwash, antiseptic hand rub, or surgical hand antisepsis.[1] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define these activities as the following:

  • Handwashing - Washing hands with plain (i.e. non-antimicrobial) soap and water.
  • Hand antisepsis - Refers to either antiseptic handwash or antiseptic hand rub.
  • Surgical hand antisepsis - Antiseptic handwash or antiseptic hand rub performed preoperatively by surgical personnel to eliminate transient and reduce resident hand flora.

Good hand hygiene is an important aspect of protecting yourself and your others from infection transmission. It is one of the most effective ways to prevent hospital care associated infection rates.[1]  Failure to perform appropriate hand hygiene is considered the leading cause of healthcare-associated infections and spread of multi-resistant organisms such as Methicilin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)[2] and has been recognised as a substantial contributor to outbreaks[1].

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Resources[edit | edit source]

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References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Handwashing: Clean hands save lives. Available from:https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/index.html (accessed 13 March 2020)
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MRSA. Available from:https://www.cdc.gov/mrsa/index.html (accessed 14 March 2020)