unit 2 hand hygiene

Explain importance of proper hand hygiene in infection control

Prevent & protect spread of infection and to minimize growth & spread of infection among patients and staff

Identify situations you need hand hygiene

Before touching patient, before cleaning aseptic procedure, after body fluid exposure risk, after touching patient and after touching patient surrounding

Name the common hand hygiene products

Ordinary soap, chlorhexidine , iodine and 70% alcohol

How many steps of hand hygiene are there

7 steps

What action does ordinary soap gives

Suspends dirt and micro-organisms, allow them to be rinsed off

What action does chlorhexidine give

• Kills most microorganisms

• Requires handwashing

What action does Iodine give

Kills most micro-organisms

What action does 70% alcohol (hand rub) give

Kills all types of micro-organisms

What are the advantages of ordinary soap

Removes mostly dirt

What are the advantages of chlorhexidine

• Rapid action

• Can be rinsed off

• Non-toxic, non- sensitive, effective for 5 – 6 hours

What are the advantages of Iodine

• Rapid action

• Takes 2 minutes to work

What are the advantages of 70% alcohol

• Instant action

• Fastest and greatest reduction in number of micro-organisms

What are the disadvantages of 70% alcohol

Not effective against spores

What are the disadvantages of Iodine

• Rapidly neutralized by blood or other organic matter

• Effective only if iodine is not rinsed off

• Causes skin irritation

• Stains skin brow

What are the disadvantages of chlorhexidine

Rapidly neutralized by blood or other organic matter

What are the disadvantages of ordinary soap

• Removes small amount of microorganisms

• Do not inhibit growth of microorganisms

• Do no disinfect