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Is hand washing really needed in an intensive care unit?
L J Rossoff1, M Borenstein, H D Isenberg
1Department of Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY 11042, USA.
Critical Care Medicine
|July 1, 1995
Summary
Rigorous antiseptic hand washing and nonsterile gloves significantly reduce fingertip microbial colonization. No added benefit was observed from aseptic donning or prior hand washing when using sterile gloves.
Area of Science:
- Infection Control
- Microbiology
- Healthcare Hygiene
Background:
- Fingertip microbial colonization is a concern in healthcare settings.
- Evaluating methods to reduce microbial load on hands and gloves is crucial for patient safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of antiseptic hand washing versus nonsterile gloves in reducing fingertip microbial colonization.
- To assess if aseptic donning techniques or prior hand washing further reduce glove contamination.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, randomized, crossover study involving 43 intensive care nurses.
- Fingertip cultures were performed before and after interventions including antiseptic hand washing and glove donning (sterile and nonsterile).
Main Results:
- Antiseptic hand washing reduced colony-forming units (cfu) from 84 to 2 (p < .001).
- Both sterile and nonsterile glove use resulted in low glove contamination counts (0-1.25 cfu).
- No significant difference in microbial reduction was found between antiseptic hand washing and nonsterile gloves over unwashed hands.
Conclusions:
- Antiseptic hand washing and nonsterile gloves offer comparable reductions in microbial counts.
- Aseptic donning, prior hand washing, or using sterile gloves did not provide additional benefits in reducing contamination.