 Nosocomial Infection ◦ an infection acquired during hospitalization also called hospital acquired infection

 According to the CDC in 2002, there were approximately 1.7 MILLION healthcare acquired infections with 99,000 DEATHS

 Not washing hands properly ◦ Handwashing is the number one prevention measure for the spread of disease  Reports show that healthcare workers wash their hands about half as often as they should! re.pdf

 Healthcare workers can get hundreds or thousands of bacteria on their hands by doing simple tasks such as: ◦ pulling patients up in bed ◦ taking a blood pressure or pulse ◦ touching a patient’s hand ◦ rolling patient’s over in bed ◦ touching the patients gown or bed sheets ◦ touching equipment like bedside rails, over-bed tables and IV pumps

 Many health care workers find themselves not washing their hands appropriately  Reasons include: ◦ Handwashing causes irritation or dryness ◦ Too busy, takes too long ◦ Sinks are inconveniently located ◦ No paper towels or soap ◦ Patient is waiting and they are priority ◦ Short staffed ◦ Hands don’t look dirty re.pdf

 The CDC reports that in 2007 the annual medical costs of healthcare acquired infections of U.S. hospitals to be between $28-45 BILLION dollars df

 Wash your hands!  Don’t forget the specifics: ◦ Roll up sleeves, remove watch and/or rings ◦ Wash all surfaces of hands paying close attention to the fingernails, wash for seconds using friction to maintain a good lather. ◦ Keep wrists lower than elbows and fingertips pointed downward throughout procedure ◦ Include the area 2-3 inches above the wrist ◦ Keep body away from sink to prevent germs and water from getting on uniform ◦ Rinse thoroughly! ◦ Turn off faucet using a clean paper towel ◦ Dry hands thoroughly and moisturize

 If hands are not visibly soiled or contaminated you may use an alcohol- based handrub for routinely cleaning your hands:.org Hand Hygiene Resource Center:

Apply alcohol gel or foam to the palm of one hand, and rub hands together, covering all surfaces of hands, wrists, and fingers Include areas around/under fingernails Continue rubbing until alcohol dries It should take at least seconds of rubbing before your hands feel dry Hand Hygiene Resource Center:

After cleaning your hands several times with an alcohol-based handrub, if you feel a “build-up”, wash your hands with soap and water. Be sure the alcohol has completely dried before putting applying gloves.

◦ Before:  Beginning your shift  Eating/drinking  Patient contact and patient procedures  Handling clean equipment/linens  Donning gloves  Inserting invasive devices

◦ After:  Hands are visibly soiled  Picking something up off of floor  Contact with patient’s skin  Contact with body fluids or excretions, non intact skin, or wound dressings  Contact with patient equipment  Contact with dirty equipment/linens  Handling laboratory specimens  Coughing, sneezing or touching own face  Removing gloves  Shift is completed

 Patients already have enough worries when they come to a healthcare facility.  Take away the extra worry of spreading infections by just taking the time to wash your hands.  Protect yourself and your family.  And wash them often!