Hand Hygiene

What is Hand Hygiene?

Hand Hygiene is a term used to describe the removal of germs from the hands. It is essential that everyone who comes into a hospital participates in our Hand Hygiene protocols.

Most germs in hospitals can be spread by unclean hands. Each time a person touches an object or another person, germs go along for the ride. Once an infection starts, it can quickly spread to you, your family, and other patients.

Health care providers move from patient to patient and room to room while providing care and working in the patient environment. Proper hand hygiene will protect patients and providers and will reduce the spread of infections and the associated treatment costs, reduce hospital lengths of stay and readmissions, reduce wait times, and prevent deaths. All visitors and health care providers must practice good hand hygiene immediately before AND after leaving a patient’s room.

Unless your hands are visibly soiled, the best way to clean your hands is by using a waterless alcohol-based hand cleanser. Alcohol-based hand cleaner is available in dispensers on the walls throughout our Hospital. This product is more effective at killing most germs than soap and water and works best when the hands are rubbed together vigorously until the cleaner is absorbed into the skin. Dispensers are located at every bedside, and at various locations throughout SJGHEL.

Visitors are very important to our patients and their well-being. You have a critical role in preventing infections. We ask you to follow these guidelines to reduce the spread of germs! If someone leaves a patient’s room without practicing hand hygiene, germs can be left on doorknobs, waiting room chairs, or on any object that is touched. This can make germs available to be carried to another patient.

Everyone should clean their hands:

before and after touching a patient,
before and after eating,
when your hands are visibly soiled,
after using the bathroom,
after coughing or sneezing.

What are the choices for cleaning hands?

Alcohol-based hand rubs are available throughout the hospital. After cleaning, make sure your hands are dry before you touch anything. This is very important when you use the hand rub.

If your hands are visibly soiled, you will need to use soap and water. Cleaning your hands takes 15 seconds. Make sure you cover all surfaces. If you are using soap and water, don’t forget to use a paper towel to turn off the taps.

What is SJGHEL doing?

SJGHEL runs a hand hygiene program in our Hospital which includes:

alcohol-based hand sanitizers are available throughout our Hospital,
hand hygiene education materials for all patients and visitors,

The primary concern at SJGHEL is always the health and well-being of the patients. SJGHEL is safe and continues to implement measures to make it safer.

What is Hand Hygiene Compliance?

Hand Hygiene compliance rates are reported annually, and calculated based on compliance to the four moments of hand hygiene:

Before initial patient/patient environment contact.
Before aseptic procedure.
After body fluid exposure risk.
After patient/patient environment contact.

1. Before initial patient/patient environment contact. 2. Before aseptic procedure. 3. After body fluid exposure risk. 4. After patient/patient environment contact.

Reporting

Each year, you will find hand hygiene compliance rates for SJGHEL posted on our website as required by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Included in the data is:

Hand hygiene compliance rates before initial contact with the patient/patient’s environment for all health care providers.
Hand hygiene compliance rates after contact with the patient/patient’s environment for all health care providers.

Hand hygiene is a key issue for our Hospital, and we continually work to improve compliance. Hand hygiene audits are performed monthly, and results are posted and shared with staff. On the spot feedback is used to improve individual compliance.

SJGHEL’s Current Hand Hygiene Report