Proper Hand Washing

Hand washing is essential to avoid spreading and contracting germs. Whether germs pass from person to person or from person to object to person, you must learn how to wash your hands to protect yourself from colds, flu and other illnesses. Using basic ingredients and taking time to do a thorough job can help you avoid infectious illnesses.

When?

Wash your hands whenever they come in contact with germs. Always wash your hands after using the toilet. Do this even if you do not work in food or health environments. Wash your hands when you handle raw meat, after coughing or sneezing into your hands and handling garbage. Wash if you contact open wounds. Supermarkets provide sanitary wipes for customers to wipe grocery carts before using them. Take advantage of this courtesy. After you touch anything dirty, wash your hands as soon as possible.

 

 Why?

Wash your hands to maintain your health; people spread infectious diseases via their hands. The most common diseases include the flu, colds and infectious diarrhea. Although healthy people suffer cold or flu symptoms for a week to 10 days and recover in time, these diseases can be life-threatening for the elderly, the infirm and young children.

How? 

1. Consider the sink, including the faucet controls, contaminated.
2. Avoid touching the sink.
3. Turn water on using a paper towel and then wet your hands and wrists.
4. Work soap into a lather.
5. Vigorously rub together all surfaces of the lathered hands for 15 seconds. Friction helps remove dirt and microorganisms. Wash around and under rings, around cuticles, and under fingernails
6. Rinse hands thoroughly under a stream of water. Running water carries away dirt and debris. Point fingers down so water and contamination won't drip toward elbows.
7. Dry hands completely with a clean dry paper towel.
8. Use a dry paper towel to turn faucet off.
9. To keep soap from becoming a breeding place for microorganisms, thoroughly clean soap dispensers before refilling with fresh soap.
10. When hand washing facilities are not available at a remote work site, use appropriate antiseptic hand cleaner or antiseptic towelettes. As soon as possible, rewash hands with soap and running water.

"Hand washing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection."

R. Y. Manabat, R.N.