Proper Hand Washing
Hand washing is important for not only healthcare workers, but, is also important for the general public as well. Without proper hand washing technique, germs (pathogens) can spread at an alarming rate. Some germs are non-pathogenic and some are pathogenic. The skin (epidermis) is the first line of defense against germ invasion and infection. Germs can enter through breaks in the skin and can cause infection, thus allowing one infected person to infect another through transference caused by the infection’s symptoms. When there is visible dirt or grime, a physical hand washing is necessary. The physical process of removing the dirt/grime, blood, or surface organisms is hand washing. Men and women differ in the bacteria that they carry on their hands. Men tend to have more acidic skin because of men’s sweat and oil glands, skin thickness, and male hormones. Women tend to have a greater assortment of bacteria than men. Just the same, both need to effectively wash their hands. There are two types of bacteria: transient bacteria and resident bacteria. Transient bacteria has limited survival time on the surface of the skin, and originate from skin making physical contact with environmental objects, such as doorknobs, rails, other people, etc. Resident bacteria has a much deeper attachment to the skin. This type of bacteria is much more resilient against physical hand washing, and is much more effectively addressed by antimicrobial treatments, such as Purell. Prepping for hand washing is necessary and recommended. Make sure you have clean, disposable towels available for dying your hands. Remove any and all jewelry, since jewelry harbors bacteria. Do not leave chipped nail polish on your fingernails and do not wear artificial nails. These too can harbor bacteria and fungus. Try to avoid touching the sink and faucet handles after hand-washing, and try to avoid using the doorknob with your hand after completing your hand washing; it’s best to try and use your elbow to exit the bathroom. If you are unable to do so, use a disposable towel as a barrier between your hand and the door handle. The routine should be as follows: wetting the hands with warm water, soap application, lather well for 15-20 seconds making sure to apply to the fingers and between the fingers and thumbs, under the fingernails, and the tops and bottoms of your hands, rinse well, towel off with a disposable towel, and exit the bathroom using a towel as a barrier between your hands and the faucet handles and then the doorknob. If alcohol based sanitizer is used, there must be no visible dirt or grime on your hands before using it. Additionally, if you are to use alcohol based sanitizer, make sure it is at least 60% alcohol. Rub evenly over your palms, hands, fingers, and into your fingernails.
