The future of hand washing?

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After an OB nurse bragged to me about the MRSA scar in her hand from a needle stick (my sister was her patient as she relayed the story), I have a pet peeve about hand washing. I never, not ONCE in the entire time she entered and exited the room, heard the hand sanitizer go off or saw her wash her hands.

It doesn't mean that I don't miss times when I should -- I know that I have. But this is important, and the statistics back it up. So to have a reminder when other things are taking priority may not be a bad thing.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/25/better-hand-washing-through-technology/?h

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Gross!

I've wondered about the hand washing as well. I've seen nurses and doctors use the hand sanitizer way more than the sink and soap lately. Is this the new normal?

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I'm currently taking micro and it is turning me into a compulsive hand-washer! My teacher is strongly against the hand sanitizer, but it does seem to be more and more prevalent in hospitals.

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I have read that its best if you wash your hands and follow with hand sanitizer. Yeah I see hand sanitizer dispensers everywhere in hospitals.

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Specializes in ICU/ CCU.

I work in a hospital and see hand sanitizer everywhere, including a foam type that is specific for MRSA and C-DIFF. I still wash my hands because I know and believe that it is the most effective way to rid of germs. The only thing I worry about with hand sanitizer- alcohol is the main chemical that wards off bacteria, but what about waxy-walled bacteria or endospores? I also am aware that alcohol has a high risk of drying out fast.. I'm sure that infection control has to have done all kinds of testing to be able to use this hand sanitizer method and deem it effective....but, 99% of the time, I just wash with good ol' soap, water, and scrubbing to be safe.

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I am a little crazy about handwashing and sanitizing at work. I wash hands after ever pt interaction and grab sani whenever I pass the pump. ESP since we've been locked down for Noro 3 times this year... shudder.

One of my pet peeves is when myself or my child is the pt and the doc makes a show of handwashing when they enter the room - and they lather for maybe 2.3 seconds and do a quick rinse. Thanks for that.

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We were taught that unless your hands are visibly soiled the hand sanitizer is fine. True or not; don't know, don't care.

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Specializes in CNA, Nursing Student.

I go for the triple threat. I handwash with soap whenever I get the opportunity, or feel like I really need to(after a particularly messy patient/procedure), and then I rotate between the alcohol hand sanitizers on the wall, and a moisturizing lotion/hand sanitizer with triclosan instead of ETOH.(Bath and body works, near the foaming soaps). I figure between the three of them, I am hopefully covering all my bases.

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Specializes in ICU.

I dont wash my hands every time I enter a patients room. Sometimes I am only peaking my head in the door or my hands stay firmly at my side. When the call light keeps going off it can be a bit ridiculous to walk in, wash your hands, ask them what they need, find out they accidentally pressed the call light and then wash your hands again and leave. However, if I have to touch my patient, I routinely use gloves and wash. I too have been told if my hands are not visibly soiled that foam is acceptable.

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Here is the official stance at our hospital: you need to wash with soap if you are caring for a patient with any type of gastroenteritis (including c diff, of course). You should wash your hands whenever they are visibly soiled. Otherwise, perform hand hygiene upon entering and exiting a room, and any time you've had contact with something dirty (changed the linens, emptied the trash, that sort of thing). Hand hygiene can either be hand washing or using the sanitizer.

If I don't have a gastro pt, I probably only wash my hands at a sink maybe 15 or 20 times a night. I probably use the hand sanitizer 200 times or more, I have no idea. Every time I enter a room, every time I exit. Before and after applying gloves. Before touching the IV or administering an IV med. After touching a patient. Changing the linens, emptying the trash, filling ice waters, etc.

Our infection control nurse tells us that, while hand washing may be more effective, it is only more effective if you actually do it 100% correctly: lather up for, what 15-20 seconds, scrubbing all surfaces and under your nails, drying with a towel and then turning off the water with another clean towel. Most people don't scrub long enough or effectively enough, or don't use the second towel. On the other hand, most people use the hand sanitizers correctly, and with much greater frequency than hand washing. Therefore, our hospital's official stance reflects a realistic, reasonable expectation.

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Is "hand hygiene" another made up nurse phrase, or is it an actual phrase in use by real, random people?

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Is "hand hygiene" another made up nurse phrase, or is it an actual phrase in use by real, random people?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=hand+hygiene

Maybe not real, random people, but most of the top links are in the know.

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