Protocols for Handwashing

There are millions of germs between your fingertips and elbows, and they can stay alive there for up to three hours. By spending a minute washing your hands using the proper protocol, you can eliminate nearly all of these germs and help prevent the spread of disease, possibly even saving lives.

History of Handwashing

• It wasn't until the 19th century that it began to be an accepted fact that dirty hands can spread deadly diseases and that regular cleansing prevents much of this transmission. The 1840s were a significant time in the discovery of the impact hand hygiene has on health. A doctor by the name of Oliver Wendell Holmes had the idea that doctors with dirty hands could spread certain diseases to their patients. Later, in Vienna, Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis noticed that laboring women who were examined by students who had just finished handling cadavers had a mortality rate that was three times higher than women in a different delivery room staffed by midwives. After Dr. Semmelweis established a handwashing routine with the medical students, the mortality rate of the pregnant women dropped to nearly zero. These and other observations led to a revolutionary change in what we know about hygiene and handwashing.

Importance

• As the health industry and the general public became more educated on how infectious diseases are spread, more people began to recognize the importance of handwashing as a means to prevent it. Regular handwashing is the best method of preventing the spread of nearly 80 percent of all diseases.

How to Wash

• Begin by getting your hands wet with clean water. Apply soap, preferably antibacterial, and work it into a lather. Scrub all areas of the hands and wrists, making sure to remember to get under the nails. Continue washing for 20 seconds and rinse well with running water. Dry your hands thoroughly; damp hands can harbor much more bacteria than dry hands. In order to prevent picking up germs again from the spicket of the sink, use a paper towel to turn off the water. Handwashing is the best way to reduce germs, but if you don't have access to soap and water, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol, rubbing it over all hand surfaces until dry.

When to Wash

• Even though half of men and a quarter of women do not wash their hands after visiting the restroom, fecal matter can contain salmonella, E. coli, rotavirus, and countless other bacteria and viruses, making the bathroom one of the most important places to wash your hands. The toilet is not the only place you should be concerned about hand cleanliness, however; you should wash thoroughly after touching anything dirty or possibly contaminated. In public places, you should wash frequently if you come into contact with surfaces that are regularly touched by others, like doorknobs, keyboards, pens and handrails. Any time you cough or sneeze, wash your hands, even if you used a tissue. During food preparation, hand washing should be frequent and thorough to prevent food-borne illnesses and cross contamination. After coming into contact with baby diapers, animals, garbage or wounds, make sure to clean your hands. Of course, always wash hands after coming into contact with anyone who is sick.