Cleans hands save lives

March 22, 2009

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Intravenous news: The Star Online report the clean hands save lives. “Hand hygiene is important. We all know that. But its practice remains capricious even in healthcare centres. Now hospitals are taking active measures to improve. It was a busy day in the outpatient emergency department – one of those days where patients needing drips, oxygen or sutures filed in by the dozens.

As the medical officer’s tired eyes scanned yet another request for an intravenous (IV) drip for a mildly dehydrated young girl, he reached into the storage cabinet with gloved hands for the drip set. He then ushered the girl to an armchair and comforted her as he uncapped the drip needle. With swift, practised moves, he swabbed the puncture site with alcohol and the needle was painlessly inserted into a vein in the girl’s arm. Satisfied, he moved on to the next patient.

He has done everything right: he responded immediately to the request, he made an effort to comfort the patient and administered the drip with the least pain possible.

Now, here’s a trick question: Could the medical officer have done better?

Actually, he could have – as you will find out if you have read the guidelines for hand hygiene by the WHO, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the UK National Patient Safety Agency.

For starters, he could have changed into a new pair of gloves before touching every patient. And, it would be better if he also washed his hands before and after each encounter (even if you wear gloves, you still need to clean your hands)”.

Click here for the full story on thestar.com

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