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Hand hygiene

Hand hygiene

Asepsis is the practice of preventing or breaking the chain of infection. The nurse employs aseptic techniques to prevent the spread of microorganisms and reduce the risk of diseases. Hand hygiene is the cornerstone of aseptic techniques and is classified into medical and surgical asepsis. Medical asepsis includes hand hygiene and the use of gloves. Surgical asepsis, or the sterile technique, refers to practices that render and keep objects and areas free of microorganisms.
Hand washing...

Handwashing III: During the Procedure and Post-Procedure Steps

Handwashing III: During the Procedure and Post-Procedure Steps

To wash hands properly, follow these steps:

Handwashing II: Pre-procedure and Initial Procedure Steps

Handwashing II: Pre-procedure and Initial Procedure Steps

The pre-procedure steps of handwashing include removing jewelry and rolling up sleeves. However, many organizations allow staff to wear wedding rings.
The hand washing procedure itself includes the following steps. First, cover cuts, if any, on hands with a waterproof dressing. Cuts and abrasions can become contaminated with bacteria hindering the ability to clean the area thoroughly. In addition, repeated hand washing can worsen an injury. The nails must be short and clean, without nail paint...

Handwashing I: Introduction and Types of Equipment

Handwashing I: Introduction and Types of Equipment

Handwashing is hand hygiene with plain or antimicrobial soap and water to physically remove dirt, organic material, and microorganisms. However, it may not kill all microorganisms. The handwashing procedure requires a hand wash basin, liquid soap, paper towels, a domestic waste bin, and disposable nail cleaner as optional equipment.
Hand wash basins in clinical areas should have faucets that can be turned on and off without using the hands; that is, they should be non-touch or lever-operated.

Standard Precaution

Standard Precaution

Standard precautions are the minimum infection control safeguards used while caring for all patients, irrespective of their disease condition. They help prevent the spread of common infectious microorganisms to healthcare workers, patients, and visitors in all healthcare settings.
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...

Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures

Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures

Essential infection prevention measures are based on the knowledge of the infection chain, the modes of transmission in healthcare settings, and the use of the best practices in all healthcare settings. Compulsory public reporting of healthcare-associated infection rates is needed to allow individuals and the community to make informed choices regarding selecting a healthcare facility.
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

A Method to Test the Efficacy of Handwashing for the Removal of Emerging Infectious Pathogens

A Method to Test the Efficacy of Handwashing for the Removal of Emerging Infectious Pathogens

Published on: June 7, 2017

The relationship between hand area and hand contamination.

Shuhua Ren¹, Xiaoping Ni, Hong Xu

¹Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.

American Journal of Infection Control

|November 16, 2010

Summary

The surface area of health care workers' hands is closely related to the number of colony-forming units (CFUs) found on them. This finding is important for understanding hand contamination in healthcare settings.

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Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

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Area of Science:

Microbiology
Infection Control
Public Health

Background:

Colony-forming units (CFUs) on health care workers' (HCWs) hands are critical for assessing hand contamination.
Limited research exists on the relationship between hand surface area and CFU counts.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the correlation between the surface area of health care workers' hands and the number of colony-forming units (CFUs).

Main Methods:

Calculated the surface area of the right hand for 197 health care workers (HCWs).
Measured the number of colony-forming units (CFUs) on the hands of these HCWs.

Main Results:

A close relationship was observed between hand surface area and CFU count.
Larger hand surface areas were associated with higher potential for microbial colonization.

Conclusions:

Hand surface area is a significant factor influencing the microbial load on health care workers' hands.
Understanding this correlation can improve hand hygiene protocols and reduce healthcare-associated infections.