Hand Washing 101...P O Day 142

We moms all know how we have to nag the children about washing their hands; after the bathroom, before dinner, when they've cut their finger, after petting the stray cat. Well, apparently someone needs to be nagging our health care workers.

 A survey of 400 hospital staff, by a Charlotte, North Carolina  company Debmed ( a company that sells hand hygiene products)  found many staff members disagreed with the stated compliance rate for hand washing by fellow workers. The facility reported a hand washing compliance rate of at least 81% while the staff members thought the compliance rate was more like 70%. It doesn't sound like much but it makes a big difference ultimately in infection control. The same survey found that less than half, 44%, of the respondents follow CDC (Center for Disease Control) guidelines for hand hygiene on entering or departing patient rooms. In the opinion of the employees the biggest improvement came with recognition that others were aware of your compliance or not.

Worse yet, in a similar survey at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital only 13% of 1500 emergency medical providers said they washed their hands before touching a patient. A Cleveland hospital was able to turn such statistics around with a hand washing compliance campaign that raised compliance to 97.6% and lowered hospital acquired infections by 38%. Ventilator associated pneumonia dropped 71% in the four year campaign.

So, if you read all those hospital handouts that come home with you, you will notice that you are advised to ask everyone and anyone who comes in your hospital room to stop and wash their hands. Or use the hand sanitizer in the wall dispenser. It seems a little embarrassing to suggest your doctor might need to wash his hands but maybe we all need the peer pressure.

So be a little compulsive. Be a Mom. Nag a little. It can't hurt and might help.

WHEN SHOULD YOU WASH YOUR HANDS?

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage

Archive timeline: 2014: May and June - preparing for surgery, July - surgery and post op problems, August - recovery and physical therapy, September - thinking medically, Octob