Handwashing Question

[Mickey78]

Hello Everyone,

I am a new nursing student who has a question about hand washing and the use of the old lever/crank paper towel dispensers. I was wondering how one would correctly wash and dry their hands without recontaminating their hands by touching the crank on the paper towel dispenser to get a dry paper towel to turn off the faucet. e.g. crank down paper towel, wet hands, apply soap, wash hands using friction for 20 seconds, dry hands with paper towel.... then what? How do I get another paper towel to shut off the water faucet without touching the crank/lever on the paper towel dispenser to get more paper towel? Need procedural advice... not get an automatic dispenser.

[Julius Seizure]

OP, this is lesson #1 in "the nursing textbook is NOT the real world"

Of course, the problem right now is that you have to do it the textbook way to get through school. I would go with something like this:

Oh man, do I not miss this part of nursing school. Don't worry, it gets better than this.

Maybe crank out an extra long sheet, tear off part and drape it over the faucet handle, wash, dry hands with the rest of what's on the dispenser, then use the dry first part to turn off the water.

[Ben_Dover]

Hello Everyone,

I am a new nursing student who has a question about hand washing and the use of the old lever/crank paper towel dispensers. I was wondering how one would correctly wash and dry their hands without recontaminating their hands by touching the crank on the paper towel dispenser to get a dry paper towel to turn off the faucet. e.g. crank down paper towel, wet hands, apply soap, wash hands using friction for 20 seconds, dry hands with paper towel.... then what? How do I get another paper towel to shut off the water faucet without touching the crank/lever on the paper towel dispenser to get more paper towel? Need procedural advice... not get an automatic dispenser.

I've seen a lot of just really out of the blue questions, ODD that is. But, For Me, this is topping the chart. If I may say....can include this in the top 10.

Even my 8 year old nephews or nieces can figure this out! I'm not kidding. Really.

[BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

OP you are going to hate Nursing school. You need to breathe girl.

[Mavrick, BSN, RN]

What is the rationale for using a dry towel on the faucet to turn it off? The minute moisture on the paper towel you just used will allow bacteria to recontaminate your now clean hands?

I suppose for the sake of being technically correct but realistically stupid, you could crank out a small piece of paper towel and set it aside on a presumably clean surface. Crank out a piece of paper towel and leave it hanging on the dispenser. Wash your hands in the usual manner. Use hanging piece of paper towel to dry your hands, pick up the set aside piece of paper towel by a previously untouched corner, use it to turn your crank handle to get yet another piece of paper towel to turn off the faucet. Go about your business having used three times as much resources and time as you will ever use in the real world of nursing.

If I am really concerned about a contaminated sink/towel dispenser handle (say outside an isolation room) I will pre-clean with one of our antibacterial wipes before I even start to wash my hands.

During the big Ebola scare (remember that one?) our education department dribbled chocolate syrup on our gloved hands and had us take our isolation gowns off without getting chocolate all over the place. Making the "contaminant" visible was a real eye opener on how we transfer germs. Pretend there is chocolate syrup on the handles of everything and see how you can get away from your sink encounter without taking away a "chocolate" treat.

[Mickey78]

BenOver:

Thank you for making me feel incredibly "dumb" for asking this question and please keep and save your negative sarcasm your wrote below to yourself!! While I realize that my question may not be what happens in the "real world", I am only trying to follow along as to what is taught in my nursing text. Personally, if this wasnt such a big deal then I wonder why so many health care facilities, as well as public restrooms, have gone to automated and dyson hand dryers for drying your hands verses the "old crank/lever" towel dispensers. Could the answer have something to do with touching contaminated surfaces with your "clean" hands?? I Thank all of the rest of the nurses on this forum that were very helpful in answering my question without making me feel like it was a "dumb" question (according to you!!)

I've seen a lot of just really out of the blue questions, ODD that is. But, For Me, this is topping the chart. If I may say....can include this in the top 10.

Even my 8 year old nephews or nieces can figure this out! I'm not kidding. Really.

While I realize that these techniques may not be what happens in the "real world" I am only trying to follow what is taught in my nursing text. Personally, if this wasn't such a big deal then I wonder why so many health care facilities as well as public bathrooms have gone to automated and dyson air dryers for drying hands verses the "old crank/lever" devices?? Could the answer rest in having to do with touching contaminated areas with clean hands??? I thank all of the rest of the nurses on this forum that were very helpful in answering my "dumb" question !!