HAND HYGIENE

Name of Consultant
Designation
Objectives:
At the end of the activity, you will be able to:
• Understand the importance of hand hygiene
• Enumerate the 5 Moments of Hand Hygiene
• Demonstrate effective hand washing using
the 1-2-3-4-5 technique
 WHY?
• Hand hygiene
– single most important method of controlling
spread of infection

• Very crucial that this is carried out

– correctly
– at appropriate times
– by all health workers
 WHAT?
Methods: handwashing, antiseptic handwash,
antiseptic hand rub or surgical hand antisepsis

HANDWASHING
• Visibly dirty or visibly soiled with blood or fluids
• 40 – 60 seconds
HAND RUB
• Hands are not visibly soiled
• Access to handwashing facilities is not
available
• 20 – 30 seconds
 WHEN?
1• Before contact with a patient 5 MOMENTS
2• Before performing invasive procedures
3• After contact with patient
• Before preparing, handling, serving or eating food
4• After care involving body fluids of a patient
• Before putting on and after taking off gloves
• After personal body functions (toilet use, blowing nose)
• When hands accidentally come into contact with
secretions, excretions, blood and body fluids (hands must
be washed with soap and running water)
5• After contact with items in the patient’s environment
• Whenever in doubt about the necessity for doing so
 YOUR 5 MOMENTS FOR HAND HYGIENE

• WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care: World Health Organization 2009.
 MOST FREQUENTLY MISSED AREAS

Most frequently missed Less frequently missed Least frequently missed

• HAHSIPCU 2003
 Before Handwashing

• Remove all hand

(and wrist) jewelry:
o Rings on nurses’ hands resulted in an
increased frequency of hand carriage of
S. aureus, gram-negative bacilli, or
Candida species
o 10-fold higher skin organism counts
o Larger increase when several rings present

Trick et al. Impact of Ring Wearing on Hand Contamination and Comparison of Hand Hygiene Agents in a Hospital. Clinical Infectious Diseases
2003; 36:1383–90
 1. Remove all hand /arm jewelry.
2. Wet hands with warm running water, apply soap and lather well.
3. Rub each area together counting “1-2-3-4-5”

Palm to palm Between fingers Back of hands Base of thumbs

Back of fingers Fingernails Wrists

4. Rinse hands and dry thoroughly with a paper towel.

Summary:
Regular handwashing using the 1-2-3-4-5
technique should be part of the daily activities of
all health workers handling SAM patients in order
to prevent the spread of infection.
ANY QUESTION?
THANK YOU!