HAND HYGIENE

PREPARATION

1. Inspect the surface of your hands for cuts in the skin or around the cuticles.
2. Inspect your hands for visible soiling
3. Inspect the condition of your nails. Natural tips should be no longer than ½ cm, or about ¼ inch,
long. Keep your fingernails short, filed, and smooth.

PROCEDURE

There are 2 types of medical hand washing the hand rub and soap & water. The first thing that I am
going to demonstrate is the hand rub.

1. Before I start, I’ll be pushing my wristwatch above my wrist.

2. To use an antiseptic hand rub product:
A. Dispense an ample amount of product into one palm.
B. Rub your hands together, covering with antiseptic solution the palms and the back of
your hands, interlocking your fingers, cleaning the thumb areas, and finishing with your
wrists.
C. Rub your hands together until the alcohol is dry.
D. Allow your hands to dry completely before applying gloves.
3. In Hand washing using antiseptic soap and water:
A. Stand in front of a sink and keep your hands and uniform away from the sink surface.
Repeat the sequence if your hands touch the sink.
B. So now, turn the faucet on to regulate the flow and temperature of the water.
C. Avoid splashing water against your uniform.
D. Regulate the flow of water so that the temperature is warm.
E. Now, wet your hands and wrists thoroughly under the running water. Keep your hands
and forearms lower than your elbows during washing.
F. Apply 3 to 5 mL of antiseptic soap, and rub your hands together.
G. Wash your hands for at least 15 to 30 sec. Keep your fingertips pointed down to
facilitate the removal of microorganisms.
a. Rub hands palm to palm
b. Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers and vice versa
c. Palm to palm with fingers interlaced
d. Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked
e. Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa
f. Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand
in left and vice versa
H. Areas underlying the fingernails are often soiled. Clean them with the fingernails of the
other hand, using additional soap.
I. Rinse your hands and wrists thoroughly, keeping your hands down and your elbows
up.
J. Dry your hands completely, using a paper towel.
K. Discard the paper towel properly.
L. To turn off the hand faucet, use a clean, dry paper towel, making sure to avoid touching
the faucet handles with your hands.
M. Apply lotion to your hands. Avoid using petroleum-based lotions. Do not use lotion if
you are going to be providing patient care immediately after washing.
 OPEN STERILE GLOVING

PREPARATION

1. Consider the patient's risk of infection, including preexisting conditions and the treatment
area's size.
2. Inspect your hands for cuts, hangnails, open lesions, and abrasions.
3. Consider the procedure and your agency's policy on sterile gloves.
4. Examine the glove package to determine if it is intact and dry, with no water stains.
5. Before applying latex gloves, assess the patient for the following risk factors:
 Previous reaction to the following items within hours of exposure: adhesive tape, a dental
or other face mask, golf club grip, ostomy bag, rubber band, balloon, bandage, elastic
underwear, IV tubing, rubber gloves, or condom
 Personal history of asthma, contact dermatitis, eczema, urticaria, or rhinitis
 History of food allergies, especially to avocado, bananas, peaches, chestnuts, raw potatoes,
kiwi fruit, tomatoes, or papayas
 History of adverse reactions during surgery or a dental procedure
 Previous reaction to a latex product
6. Select the correct size and type of gloves.

PROCEDURE

1. Gather the needed equipment. Select the right glove size and type. Examine the package if it is
intact and dry.
2. Perform hand hygiene, and inspect the condition of your hands and fingernails for any cuts or
lesions.
3. Open the package of sterile gloves
A. Place the packaging on a clean, dry surface.
B. Open the outer package without contaminating the inner package
C. Remove the inner package from the outer package
D. Open the inner package.
4. To apply gloves:
A. Identify the right and left glove, and glove your dominant hand first.
B. Grasp the glove for your dominant hand with your nondominant thumb and first two
fingers, only touching the inside surface.
C. Carefully pull the glove over your dominant hand, leaving a cuff. Be sure that the cuff does
not roll up around your wrist and that your thumb and fingers are in the proper spaces.
D. With your gloved dominant hand, slip the fingers underneath the cuff of the second glove.
Do not touch the top surface of the cuff with your gloved hand, as this will break the sterile
field.
E. Carefully pull the second glove over your nondominant hand.
F. After wearing the gloves, interlock your hands above the level of your waist. Be sure to
touch only the sterile sides.
5. To get rid of gloves:
A. With your other gloved hand, hold the outside of one cuff. Do not touch your wrist.
B. Pull the glove off, turn it inside out, and place it on your gloved hand.
C. Take the fingers of your bare hand and put them inside the cuff of the remaining glove.
Peel the glove off inside out and over the glove you just removed. Discard the gloves in the
trash receptacle.
D. Perform thorough hand hygiene.