Handwashing Essay Example

Hand washing breaks the chain of infection in isolation.
The standard precaution we have chosen to focus on is hand washing. Nurses break the chain of infection in isolation by washing hands and using surgical and sterile equipment. It is the nurse’s responsibility to perform, according to the standard precautions, as it affects the nurse and patient health. In an isolation environment standard precautions are taken more seriously. The standard precaution in isolation list from hand washing. From the list stated the top standard precautions have to do with hands and parts of the body the nurse will come in contact with the patient. It made me think about how much nurses use their hands and this is obviously why hand washing breaks the first cycle in the chain of infection. The first cycle in the chain of infection is infectious agent, the first link to these types of infectious agents are bacteria, parasites, virus and fungi. For example prevent transfer of micro organism from the environment to the client and from the client to the nurse and the use of the standard washing hands protects the nurse and client. This breaks the first cycle in the chain of infection.
Chain of infection infectious agent, reservoir source of infection, portal of exit, means of transmission portal of exit and susceptible. Hand washing is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent hospital acquired infections. Health professionals transfer a lot of bacteria on their hands. Improving compliance with hand washing is the way to keep patients and health care personnel safe from transmittable diseases. Unfortunately, statistics show that the compliance with this basic task among health care staff is poor. There are some aspects that influence it. Some of them are: not enough knowledge about client care activities that require hand washing, not enough time and staff, skin problems and so on. Hospitals are trying to address those issues by installing alcohol hand rubs and providing