The Importance of Hand Washing and Health
The Importance of Hand Washing and Health
Marie Kramer
Galen College of Nursing
The Importance of Hand Washing and Health Something as simple as washing your hands can help prevent the infections of wounds, food poisoning, and the spread of deadly viruses such as the flu. According to the CDC website, it takes 20 seconds to effectively wash your hands. This is not only for your benefit, but for the benefit of others. First let us start with wound infections. Whether you are taking care of a minor cut at home, or dealing with a major surgical wound in the clinical setting, hand washing is critical in preventing infection. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is more common than most people think. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2013) Workplace Safety & Health Topics. MRSA and the Workplace: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), also known as staph, is a type of bacteria that most healthy people carry on their skin, or in their nose. The MRSA refers to the staph infection that is resistant certain antibiotics, and makes wound infections harder to heal. Also according to (Boyce et al., 2009) WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care. First Global Patient Safety Challenge Clean Care Is Safer Care (Section I, CH 5): The hands of some healthcare workers become persistently colonized by pathogenic flora such as S. aureus, Gram-negative bacilli, or yeast. These are referred to as transient flora (transient microbiota), which colonizes the superficial layers of the skin, and is amendable to removal by routine hand hygiene. They are often acquired by direct contact with patients or contaminated environmental surfaces adjacent to the patient and are the organisms most frequently associated with health care acquired infections. So how easy is it to transfer harmful bacteria to a wound? It is very easy. Staph and MRSA are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, or contaminated surfaces. According the Centers for Disease
Marie Kramer
Galen College of Nursing
The Importance of Hand Washing and Health Something as simple as washing your hands can help prevent the infections of wounds, food poisoning, and the spread of deadly viruses such as the flu. According to the CDC website, it takes 20 seconds to effectively wash your hands. This is not only for your benefit, but for the benefit of others. First let us start with wound infections. Whether you are taking care of a minor cut at home, or dealing with a major surgical wound in the clinical setting, hand washing is critical in preventing infection. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is more common than most people think. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2013) Workplace Safety & Health Topics. MRSA and the Workplace: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), also known as staph, is a type of bacteria that most healthy people carry on their skin, or in their nose. The MRSA refers to the staph infection that is resistant certain antibiotics, and makes wound infections harder to heal. Also according to (Boyce et al., 2009) WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care. First Global Patient Safety Challenge Clean Care Is Safer Care (Section I, CH 5): The hands of some healthcare workers become persistently colonized by pathogenic flora such as S. aureus, Gram-negative bacilli, or yeast. These are referred to as transient flora (transient microbiota), which colonizes the superficial layers of the skin, and is amendable to removal by routine hand hygiene. They are often acquired by direct contact with patients or contaminated environmental surfaces adjacent to the patient and are the organisms most frequently associated with health care acquired infections. So how easy is it to transfer harmful bacteria to a wound? It is very easy. Staph and MRSA are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, or contaminated surfaces. According the Centers for Disease
References: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013) Workplace Safety & Health Topics. MRSA and the Workplace Retrieved from Boyce, J., Chartier, Y., Chariati, M., Cookson, B., Damani, N., Dharan, S., . . . Neelam-Dhingra, N., (2009) WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care. First Global Patient Safety Challenge Clean Care Is Safer Care (Section I, CH 5) Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK144001/ U.S Food and Drug Administration (2013) Retail Food Protection: Employee Health and Personal Hygiene Handbook Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/food/guidanceregulation/retailfoodprotection/industryandregulatoryassistanceandtrainingresources/ucm113827.htm WebMD (2012) Cold, Flu, Cough Health Center: Prevent Colds with Hand Washing Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/cold-prevention-hand-washing?page=2 Mayo Clinic (2011) Hand-washing: Do’s and don’ts Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/hand-washing/ART-20046253