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Infection Prevention and Control
Standard Operating Procedures (Hand Hygiene)
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Hand Hygiene Purpose To ensure that all health care staff understand the importance of hand hygiene in preventing the transmission of infection and to enable staff to know when and how to undertake correct hand decontamination in order to maintain service user, staff and visitor safety. Target Group All health care staff both directly and indirectly involved in the delivery of care including bank, agency and visiting staff. Staff should receive hand hygiene training both at induction and, where appropriate as part of mandatory update training.
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Introduction Hand hygiene performed correctly at the appropriate time remains the most important intervention in the prevention and control of the spread of infections in all health and care environments. There are two types of micro-organisms found on the hands:
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Transient micro-organisms are:
lightly attached to the surface of the skin easily acquired on hands by touch
easily transferred via hands to other surfaces on individuals, equipment and the environment an important source of cross-infection
easily removed with soap and water followed by drying
Resident Micro-organisms are: part of the body’s natural defence mechanisms located in the skin in deep crevices and hair follicles not easily removed by soap and water alone reduced in number to safe levels by using antimicrobial products required to be removed prior to surgery and invasive procedures
Client Name Start Date: 00/00/0000 End Date: 11/11/1111 1 of 8 - Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Hand Hygiene
Hand Decontamination Technique Using Soap and Water Action Wet hands, apply liquid soap Rub your hands together palm to palm to create lather
Rub right palm over back of left hand with fingers interlaced, then left palm over back of right hand, fingers interlaced
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Rub hands together palm to palm with fingers interlaced
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Rub left fist into right palm, then right fist in left palm
Clasp and rotate left thumb in right palm, then right thumb in left palm
Rotate right finger tips into left palm, then left finger tips into right palm
Rub around each wrist with opposite hands
Rinse hands thoroughly under running water. Turn off tap using elbows or paper towel. Thoroughly dry hands with paper towels, dispose of towels into a foot pedal domestic waste bin
Client Name Start Date: 00/00/0000 End Date: 11/11/1111 5 of 8 - Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Hand Hygiene
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