Hand washing (Medical Asepsis)
Purpose
• To prevent the spread of infection
• To increase psychological comfort
Equipment
• Soap for routine hand washing
• Orange wood stick for cleaning nails, if available
• Running warm water, paper towel, trash basket
Procedure
1. Stand in front of but away from sink to avoid touching of uniform to a sink.
2. Ensure that paper towel is hanging down from dispenser.
3. Turn on water using foot pedal or faucet (using elbow of hand) so that flow is adequate, but not splashing.
4. Adjust temperature to warm. Rationale: cold does not facilitate sudsing and cleaning; hot is damaging to skin.
5. Wet hands under running water, wet hands facilitate distribution of soap over entire skin surface.
6. Place a small amount, one to two teaspoons (5-10mL) of liquid soap on hands. Thoroughly distribute overhands. Soap should come from a dispenser, possible; this prevents spread of microorganism.
7. Rub vigorously, using a firm, circular motion, while keeping your fingers pointed down, lower than wrists. Star with each finger, then between fingers, then palm and back of hand to create friction on all surfaces.
8. Wash your hands for at least 10-15 seconds. Duration of washing is important to produce mechanical action and allow antimicrobial products time to achieve desired effect.
9. Clean under your fingernails with an orangewood stick. (This should be done at least at start of day and if hands are heavily contaminated).
10. Rinse your hands under running water, keeping fingers pointed down ward in order to prevent contamination of arms.
11. Resoap your hands, rewash, and rerinse if heavily contaminated.
12. Dry hands thoroughly with a paper towel, while keeping hands positioned with fingers pointing up. Moist hands tend to gather more microorganisms from the environment.
13. Turn off water faucet with dry paper towel, if not using foot pedal to avoid contaminating the hands.
14. Restart procedure at step 5 if your hands touch the sink any time between steps 5 and 13.
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