Not another silly article on Hand Hygiene!

I freely, but somewhat ashamedly, admit that my hand hygiene is less than 100%... and this is true of every nurse and every doctor and every RT with whom I've worked.This is one of the reasons that I wear gloves nearly every time I will be touching a patient and why I sani-wipe the screens, keyboards, mice, tables, etc - as well as the gurney - between nearly every patient.I also seek to avoid touching patients as much as possible.And try to gel up every time I think about it, whether I've touched a patient or not.Multiple levels hopefully means my potential for transmission is below 99.9%.

My anecdotal observation of hand washing in the acute care setting (where I do not work but spend a great deal of time) is that nurses are best at putting hand hygiene high on their priority lists. MDs not so much, in fact, sometimes their lack of infection control occurs on so many levels (outside of the OR) that it may well "undo" the good hygiene effects of the others.

Quote from tewdlesMy anecdotal observation of hand washing in the acute care setting (where I do not work but spend a great deal of time) is that nurses are best at putting hand hygiene high on their priority lists. MDs not so much, in fact, sometimes their lack of infection control occurs on so many levels (outside of the OR) that it may well "undo" the good hygiene effects of the others.

It seemed a trivial matter but washing hands can really save us from diseases.

When performing my assessments and at other times during routine care, unless the patient is on contact precautions, I touch them with bare hands because, well, they're people, not vectors. But I am not stupid about it, I wear gloves for the feet or for intimate care and so on. I always foam in and foam out, and I do a good soap washing every hour or so, or before and after contact with a patient on C diff precautions, or when obviously indicated. If this is inadequate, I am not sure what to say

You are not crazy. I'm the same way. Wondering where that hand has been before I shake it. I also wipe off the handles of shopping carts before I touch them and open doors with the paper towel I dried my hand on.Just the idea of someone wiping their tush and not washing their hands and then going on to touch so many things . . . . . Money for one is very dirty - I hate it when a food person counts my money back with gloves on and then goes over to make a sandwich for the next person with the same gloves! I always say something!

You all do know that the human immune response developes by way of exposure, right? Being careful is one thing, washing everything obsessively seems, well, obsessive

Quote from AnoetosYou all do know that the human immune response developes by way of exposure, right? Being careful is one thing, washing everything obsessively seems, well, obsessive

Quote from Spidey's momBut . .. being cautious about the handles of shopping carts (that guy who had it before just dug the Copenhagen out from under his upper lip with his right pointer finger and then grabbed the shopping cart to put back in the line . . . )

Quote from psu_213I don't necessarily disagree with cleaning a shopping cart handle. However, that guy may have dug his Copenhagen out (or had another C diff attack in the bathroom and didn't wash his hands) right before he touched that tomato you are about to take home.

Quote from Spidey's momYou are not crazy. I'm the same way. Wondering where that hand has been before I shake it. I also wipe off the handles of shopping carts before I touch them and open doors with the paper towel I dried my hand on.Just the idea of someone wiping their tush and not washing their hands and then going on to touch so many things . . . . . Money for one is very dirty - I hate it when a food person counts my money back with gloves on and then goes over to make a sandwich for the next person with the same gloves! I always say something!

I refuse to walk barefoot in the TSA area of airports. Sometimes i ask the agent when the mat was last sanitized. They usually act like I have three heads.