OBJECTIVE: This article provides information about hand hygiene and the importance of infection control and handwashing.
Healthcare personnel should use an alcohol-based hand rub or wash with soap and water for the following:
- Immediately before touching a patient
- Before & after glove use
- Before & after handling food or eating
- After coughing, sneezing, or blowing/wiping nose
- After touching a pet
Handwashing is required after:
NOTE: Using hand sanitizer is not sufficient
- After touching soiled items (soiled bedding, diapers, clothing, garbage…)
- After contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated surfaces
- After using the bathroom
- Before re-entering nursing bag
- Before touching patient’s clean supplies
- Before & after collecting a specimen
- Before & after handling medication
Glove use and fingernail facts:
- Use gloves when touching soiled items (soiled bedding, diapers, clothing, garbage…)
- Use gloves when in contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated surfaces
- Wash hands before & after wearing gloves
- Change gloves and perform hand hygiene during patient care, if
- gloves become damaged
- moving from a soiled body site to a clean body site
- Never wear the same pair of gloves in the care of more than one patient.
- Carefully remove gloves to prevent hand contamination.
- Do not use hand sanitizer on gloves
- Do not reuse gloves
- It is recommended that healthcare providers do not wear artificial fingernails or extensions when having direct contact with patients at high risk
- Germs can live under artificial fingernails both before and after using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and handwashing
- Keep natural nail tips less than ¼ inch long
Hand Hygiene Resources
- Hand Hygiene: CDC Handwashing Video
- Hand Hygiene: Handwashing Training (Docebo)
- Hand Hygiene: Printable Handouts and Flyers (General)
- Hand Hygiene: Printable Handouts and Flyers (Clinical)
Source: Quality Team