Hand Hygiene
How long should you wash your hands?
20 Seconds
When should you wash your hands with soap and water?
When they are visibly soiled
When caring for a C-Diff patient
Hand washing is NOT necessary when a nurse wears gloves. True or False?
False.
Rationale: Failure to wash or decontaminate hands following removal of gloves spreads microorganisms to other patients and equipment.
What should you do if there is no soap available?
Use hand sanitizer
After removing gloves you should wash with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based handrub?
Use an Alcohol-based Handrub.
Healthcare workers' hands are the most common vehicle for the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens from patient to patient and within the healthcare environment. True or False?
True.
What is the main thing washing your hands can help prevent?
Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI`s)
Alcohol-based hand rubs are used to ________ Bacteria?
Kill germs
Rationale: alcohol-based hand rubs kill germs.
Healthcare-associated infections are defined as infections caused by any infectious agent acquired as a result of a person’s treatment or intervention within a healthcare setting. True or False?
True.
What are two places that are often forgotten about during hand washing?
In between your fingers, and under the nails.
Soap and water is used to _________ Bacteria?
Remove germs (in response to friction).
There is no relationship between the length of hospital stay and the risk of infection. True or False?
False.
Rationale: Long hospital stay can increase your risk of HAI, for example, if you are admitted to the hospital for complex or multiple illnesses.
Name 3 ways when you should use alcohol-based hand rubs?
Before touching a patient
Before performing an aseptic task (e.g., placing an indwelling device) or handling invasive medical devices
Before moving from work on a soiled body site to a clean body site on the same patient
After touching a patient or the patient’s immediate environment
After contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated surfaces
Immediately after glove removal
Alcohol-based hand rubs are the preferred method of hand washing. True or False
True
The use of an indwelling urethral catheter to manage urinary incontinence or to monitor urinary output reduces the risks of infection. True or False?
False.
Rationale: Any indwelling device can increase the chance of infection.