1. Handwashing
Unit 13.2

3. Typical day at the Hospital

4. Questions to ask yourself
Why wash your hands? What’s the purpose?
When should I wash?
What are steps I should remember when washing?
How hot should the water be?
What kind of soap should I use?

5. Handwashing Is a basic task required in ANY health occupation
An ASEPTIC technique- most important method to control spread of pathogens

6. 2 Purposes of Handwashing
Prevent and control the spread of pathogens from person to person
Protect the health care worker from disease and illness

7. Appropriate times to wash
Arrival and Exit of facility
Before and After each patient
When hands are contaminated during a procedure
Before and after wearing gloves
Before and after handling specimens
After contact with ANY soiled item
After picking up items from the floor
After use of the bathroom
After cough, sneeze, or use of a tissue
Before/After any contact with your mouth/mucous membrane- ex: eating, smoking, drinking, applying lip balm, contact lenses

8. Principles of Proper Handwashing- Soap
Use soap as a cleansing agent
Aids in removal of pathogens – sudsy action and alkali content
Pathogens get trapped in soap and rinsed away
Use liquid soap from dispenser over bar soap

10. Principles of Proper Handwashing- Water
Less damaging to skin than hot water
Creates a better lather with the soap than cold water

11. Principles of Proper Handwashing
Use friction to help rub off pathogens from skin surface
Clean all surfaces on hands
Point fingers downward
Prevents water on forearm
Water on forearm can run down and contaminate clean hands

12. Principles of Proper Handwashing
Use dry paper towels to turn faucet on/off
Prevents contamination of hands from pathogens on the faucet
Pathogens travel quickly through a wet towel

13. Principles of Proper Handwashing- Nails
Nails harbor dirt and pathogens
Clean with blunt end of cuticle stick
Scrub with a brush to remove dirt/pathogens
If brush/stick not available, rub nails against palm of opposite hand

14. Washy Washy Clean
Scrub Scrub