How Do We Wash Hands Properly?

The benefits of hand washing is abundantly clear. Even if they do not diligently adhere to the practice, no one dares to dispute its essential value. Saving yourself and those around you from infection which can lead to disastrous outcomes is at the core of all hand washing initiatives. Healthcare providers must be especially diligent about clean hands. Most caregivers carry sanitizers to use when soap and water is not available when hand washing is required for patients in Morristown.

How to Wash Hands

While many do not lack motivation to wash hands, they do lack the knowledge of how to properly do it. Toward that end, the CDC as well as other organizations has clearly laid out the how to of washing hands.

When Using Soap & Water

1. 1. Wet your hands
  2. Lather with soap
  3. Scrub for at least 20 seconds (hum happy birthday song twice)
  4. Rinse hands under clean, running water
  5. Dry hands

When Using Alcohol-Based Sanitizer

1. 1. Sanitizer should be at least 60% alcohol
  2. Put on enough sanitizer to coat your hands
  3. Rub your hands together until it is absorbed (about 20 seconds)
  4. Do not rinse it off before it dries

When Do We Wash Hands

1. After bathroom use
2. Before, during and after food preparation
3. Before eating
4. After caring for someone who is sick
5. After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
6. After touching or caring for an animal
7. After touching garbage
8. If our hands are visibly dirty

Using Soap and Water vs. An Alcohol-Based Sanitizer

Soap & Water is required when

1. 1. Hands are visible soiled
  2. Caring for a patient with diarrhea
  3. After exposure to spores

Sanitizer is acceptable when

1. 1. Immediately before touching a patient
  2. Before carrying out an aseptic task
  3. Before moving from a soiled body part to clean body site on the same patient
  4. After touching a patient or their environment
  5. Immediately after glove removal

More Tips for When to Wash

The 4 Principles of Hand Awareness were endorsed by the American Medical Association and American Academy of Family Physicians in 2001.

Wash your hands when they are dirty and before eating
Do not cough into hands
Do not sneeze into hands
Above all, do not put your fingers in your eyes, nose or mouth

David York Agency Home Healthcare Helps Seniors in Morristown

Please remember that David York Home Healthcare Agency can help. When home healthcare becomes necessary, David York Agency provides homecare services for the elderly and infirm in their home. We would be happy to discuss your case with you.

At David York Home Healthcare Agency, extraordinary service is what sets us apart from other companies who provide in home health care services. Whatever your care needs, we are there for you, always striving to exceed your expectations. For more information about David York Agency’s qualified, compassionate caregivers, contact us at (908) 373-5300. A free phone consultation can help you determine what services would meet your needs. We aim to provide you and your loved one with the assistance they need. If you’d like to hear more from us, please like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

For more helpful tips and information, contact us today.