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Hand Hygiene

Aims​

Prevent hospital acquired infections

tip

Hand washing is the single most important means of preventing hospital-acquired infections

PREPARE FOR HANDWASH​

  • Remove shoes, socks, woolens, watch, bangles, rings and sacred threads before entry into NICU.
  • Fingernails should be cut short. Nail polish is not allowed.
  • Roll up your full sleeves above elbow.

HAND WASHING​

  • Wash hands with soap and water for 40 - 60 seconds before entering the NICU.
  • Never use common towel for wiping your hands in NICU.
  • Hand disinfection should be done with alcohol hand-rub solution for 20 seconds before and after touching babies.
  • After washing hands, do not touch anything e.g., mobile phones, pen, hairs or any other fomite till you carry out the required job.
  • Wiping hands with alcohol is not a substitute for proper hand washing.
How to Handwash
Download

Download WHO Hand Hygiene Poster - Handwashing steps

WHEN TO WASH YOUR HANDS​

  • Before entry into the ward.
  • After body fluid exposure.
  • When your hands are visibly soiled, e.g., secretion, blood or stool.
  • After 6 -10 applications of hand-rub.

WHEN AND HOW TO USE GLOVES​

  • Use non-sterile gloves when in risk of contact with blood, secretions and feces. Wash or disinfect your hands before and after wearing non-sterile gloves. Do not use one set of gloves for more than one baby.
  • Use sterile gloves for clinical procedures like blood sampling, ET-suctioning, starting intravenous lines, antibiotic preparation, and similar activities. Do not touch any fomite after wearing sterile gloves, and perform the target clinical procedure only. Ask for assistance for handling non-sterile items once you wear sterile gloves.

WHEN TO DISINFECT YOUR HANDS WITH ALCOHOL HAND-RUB​

  • Before and after each patient contact and before every procedure.
tip

Always use sterile gloves for invasive procedures like blood or CSF sampling and starting intravenous lines etc.

References​

  • WHO “5 moments of hand hygiene” (2014)
  • Practical Procedures for the Newborn Nursery
  • A Manual for Physicians & Nurses. Deorari, Paul, Singhal
  • Scotland and McMillan, Third Edition (2010)
  • Neonatal Intensive Care by Merenstein and Gardner, 7th edition (2011)

Document Information​

Current Version

Version: 2.0
Published: August 20, 2015
Revised by: Dr Chetan Meena, SMS Medical College, Jaipur and Neonatal Nurse Johanne Mamohau Egenberg Huurnink
Contributors: Teaching Nurses from Norway and FBNCU Nursing Staff, JK Lone Hospital, SMS Medical College, Jaipur
Previous Versions: v1.0