Week 6 (Chapter 11, 12): Hand Hygiene and PPE

PPT based

What is the primary reason that hands are considered important sources of disease spread?

Normal human skin is colonized with bacteria.

According to the text, how high can the total bacterial count be on the hands of medical personnel?

As high as half a million

What is necessary to prevent microbes on the hands from spreading to surfaces or other people?

Performing hand hygiene

Which of the following statements about germs on hands is true according to the provided information?

Most of the time we can't see germs.

What is the primary risk associated with the bacterial colonization of normal human skin in a medical setting?

Hands serve as a continuous source for spreading microorganisms.

Why is it potentially dangerous that most germs on the hands are invisible to the naked eye?

Personnel might assume their hands are clean because they look clean.

What is the logical consequence if hand hygiene is not performed in a dental office?

Microbes can be spread to surfaces or other individuals.

What is identified as the main route of spread for the common cold according to the text?

Hands

How can others pick up microbes after someone coughs into their hands?

By touching the same surfaces that were contacted by the contaminated hands

The transfer of microbes to oneself is said to be 'completed' when a person:

Rubs their eyes, mouth, or nose or touches food they are about to eat

What action should be performed frequently to reduce the risk of spreading microbes?

Hand hygiene

Which of the following is a key characteristic of resident skin flora?

They colonize on the skin and become permanent residents.

Regarding resident skin flora, what happens when a surgical scrub is performed?

They can never be removed totally.

How does a person primarily acquire transient skin flora?

During touching of, or exposure to, contaminated surfaces

Which type of skin flora can be significantly reduced or removed by routine hand washing?

Transient skin flora

Which type of product contains the highest levels of antimicrobial agents according to the text?

Surgical scrub products

Does a surgical scrub procedure result in the sterilization of the hands?

No, it does not sterilize the hands.

Under what condition are alcohol-based hand rubs shown to be effective in hand antisepsis?

When the hands contain no visible soil

What is a characteristic of alcohol-based hand rubs as described in the notes?

They are used without water and without rinsing.

Which of the following is an example of an alcohol used in hand hygiene products?

Isopropanol

Which antimicrobial agent is specifically noted for its 'prolonged antimicrobial effect'?

Chlorhexidine digluconate

According to the notes, when is there a 'more emphasis on alcohol-based rubs nowadays'?

Especially if sinks are not available

How do alcohol-based hand rubs compare to plain or antimicrobial soap when small amounts of blood or saliva are present?

They can reduce viable bacterial counts on the hands more than soap.

Which of the following describes the effectiveness of alcohol-based hand rubs against common bacteria?

They are very effective in killing most gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

Alcohol-based hand rubs have 'little effect' against which specific type of bacteria?

Spore-forming bacteria such as Clostridium difficile

Which category of viruses is resistant to alcohol-based hand rubs as mentioned in the text?

Nonenveloped viruses