The Importance of Hand Washing and Health Something as simple as washing your hands can help prevent the infections of wounds, food poisoning, and the spread of deadly viruses such as the flu. According to the CDC website, it takes 20 seconds to effectively wash your hands. This is not only for your benefit, but for the benefit of others. First let us start with wound infections. Whether you are taking care of a minor cut at home, or dealing with a major surgical wound in the clinical setting, hand washing is critical in preventing infection. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is more common than most people think. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2013) Workplace Safety & Health Topics. MRSA and the Workplace: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), also known as staph, is a type of bacteria that most healthy people carry on their skin, or in their nose. The MRSA refers to the staph infection that is resistant certain antibiotics, and makes wound infections harder to heal. Also according to (Boyce et al. , 2009) WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care. First Global Patient Safety Challenge Clean Care Is Safer Care (Section I, CH 5): The hands of some healthcare workers become persistently colonized by pathogenic flora such as S.
aureus, Gram-negative bacilli, or yeast. These are referred to as transient flora (transient microbiota), which colonizes the superficial layers of the skin, and is amendable to removal by routine hand hygiene. They are often acquired by direct contact with patients or contaminated environmental surfaces adjacent to the patient and are the organisms most frequently associated with health care acquired infections. So how easy is it to transfer harmful bacteria to a wound? It is very easy. Staph and MRSA are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, or contaminated surfaces. According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013) Workplace Safety & Health Topics. MRSA and the Workplace: MRSA or minor staph infections can occur anywhere, and these factors the CDC refers to as the 5 C’s: “Crowding, frequent skin-to-skin contact, compromised skin, contaminated items and surfaces, and lack of cleanliness. Locations where the 5C’s are common include schools, dormitories, military barracks, households, correctional facilities’, and daycare centers. ” Remember, if you have a cut on your skin, and there is the presence of staph or MRSA already there, your number one prevention to not infect the wound on your own skin would be to wash your hands, or the area surrounding the wound.
The Term Paper on Nosocomial Staph Infection
... Health Plan of Nevada MRSA guidelines, an MRSA infection must first be classified as community-acquired or hospital-acquired. If the wound ... of anemia, leukopenia, pancytopenia, and thrombocytopenia. Complex skin and skin structure infections (hospital-acquired) are treated with aggressive ... getting weekly numbers on possible transmissions. Alcohol-based hand gels are being used in increasing numbers. ...
So you see, not only should you wash your hands in order not to infect the wounds of others, but also your own. Not only is hand washing important when caring for wounds, but also when dealing food. The U. S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website is a great resource for looking at the effectiveness of hand washing, and food. According to FDA (2013) Retail Food Protection: Employee Health and Personal Hygiene Handbook, “Over 40 different kinds of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and molds that occur in food and can cause foodborne illness. A foodborne illness is commonly referred to as food poisoning or “stomach flu”. The FDA refers to the Big 5 as: Norovirus, Salmonella, Escherichia Coli (E. coli), Shigella, and Hepatitis A. There is all kinds of bacteria and germs in the kitchen. Not just the kitchen of restaurants, but your kitchen at home as well. When handling raw meat for example you want to ensure that you wash your hands before and after contact. The raw meat can carry all kinds of bacteria that can lead to food poisoning, such as Salmonella or E. coli. Not only is it important to wash your hands After handling food but also food related surfaces such as the cutting board used to prepare the raw meat.
The Term Paper on The Reality Of Fast Food Meat
According to Eric Schlosser author of Fast Food Nation, 'Fast food has had an enormous impact not only on our eating habits but on our economy, our culture, and our values' (3). According to Lois Williams on any given day, about one quarter of U. S. adults visit a fast-food restaurant. The typical American now eats about three hamburgers each week (2).Schlosser also writes that "thirty years ago ...
By washing your hands after handling the raw meat, and surfaces that were in contact with the raw meat you are preventing the recontamination of bacteria. Washing of your hands, and cooking the meat will eliminate most harmful doses of bacteria. However, if you have properly washed your hands, but go back and touch the knife, or cutting board used you now have re-contaminated your hands. Example would be the cutting board and knife you used to cut the meat with. You have taken the raw meat, placed it on the cutting board, grabbed the knife, and cut the meat. After you have taken the meat and place it on the skillet to be cooked, you wash your hands. While the meat is cooking you pick up the knife and the cutting board, and place them in the sink. Once the meat is done, you remove it from the pan, and place it on a plate to be cut up into bite size pieces. The end result could possibly be food poisoning, because you did not wash your hands after putting the knife and cutting board in the sink, which re-contaminated your hands. So ensure that in the kitchen, when preparing food you wash your hands, and wash them often. Wash before, and after you prepare each food item ensuring a safe food poisoning free meal each, and every time.
Finally not properly washing your hands can spread disease, and deadly viruses, such as the flu. According to WebMD (2012) Cold, Flu, & Cough Health Center: Prevent Colds with Hand Washing: Amazingly, about 80% of infectious diseases are transmitted by touch. The CDC estimates that up to 49,000 people die from the flu or flulike illnesses each year. The best protection from this type of illness is frequent hand washing. The simple friction that occurs when you rub skin against skin, along with warm water and soap, followed by thorough rising, and drying, gets rid of the potentially harmful bacteria. Proper hand washing this flu season will not only keep you safe, but help keep others safe as well. One example would be sneezing or coughing. Let’s say you sneezed or coughed into your hand, and instead of turning to washing your hands, you go around the corner to shake a friend’s hand. Your friend then has an itch around their eye, and rubs the eye with the hand you shook. If you were sick, your friend has now been infected with the flu virus you were carrying. Another example is, we in our everyday lives have to touch door knobs, light switches, keys, money, etc… You have no idea who has touched these surfaces before you, if they had flu, or if they practice good hand hygiene.
The Term Paper on Importance Of Hand Washing
The intention of this assignment is to demonstrate an understanding of the art of reflection and the purpose of reflective practice within midwifery. The assignment is based upon a significant incident drawn from a clinical situation experienced on a busy maternity ward. The clinical aspect to reflect upon is the importance of hand washing compliance within a hospital environment between patients. ...
By touching these surfaces, which are possibly carrying the flu virus, and not washing your hands you are exposing yourself. According to WebMD (2012) Cold, Flu, & Cough Health Center: Prevent Colds with Hand Washing: For germs to spread from one person to another three things must happen: 1. Germs must be present. A person carries the germs; the germs are in the air or on a surface; or in body fluids such as mucus from the person’s nose, a discharge from the eye, or saliva from the mouth. 2. A person who is not immune to the germs comes in contact with them. This happens when you touch a computer keyboard or mouse after someone with a cold or other illness has used it. It can happen when you use a telephone after someone who is sick touched it, when you kiss an ill person, or when you’re in the path of someone’s sneeze or cough. 3. This point of contact happens in a way that leads to infection. In other words, as you touch your face, mouth, nose, or rub your eyes with unwashed hands, the germs enter your body. By washing your hands and washing them often, you have the power to break the chain of infection protecting yourself and others. So what is this proper hand washing technique we keep talking about? According to the Mayo Clinic (2011) Hand-washing: Do’s and don’ts, “Frequent hand-washing is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness.
Hand-washing requires only soap and water. ” The following steps are recommended by the Mayo Clinic, “Wet your hand with running water. Apply liquid, bar or powder soap. Lather well. Rub your hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Remember to scrub all surfaces including the back of your hands, wrists, between your fingers, and under your fingernails. Rinse well. Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel or air dryer. If possible, use your towel to turn off the faucet. ” The Mayo Clinic also suggests that using antibacterial soap is no more affective at killing germs than regular soap, and by using the antibacterial soap it may even lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the product’s antimicrobial agents – making it harder to kill these germs in the future. ” So your basic vigorous rubbing with regular soap is more than efficient. Let us all take on the responsibility of not transferring harmful bacteria. It is up to each of us to keep ourselves, and each other safe. So remember to follow these steps in order to protect yourself and others from wound infections, food poisoning, and spread deadly viruses, such as the flu.
The Essay on Infection Control- Hand Washing
Based on safe infection control techniques using ADPIE (Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation) These will be written up to demonstrate the links between practice and the supporting theory. Direct observation (2): Infection control. Assessment Hand washing is extremely important in clinical areas, as it reduces the risk of infections. Infections are caused by organisms which ...
