HEALTHCARE & HOSPITALS A HELPING HAND
Facilities managers in the healthcare industry take responsibility for maintaining high levels of cleanliness and hygiene in the buildings they supervise. The consequences of infections spreading through hospitals
are extremely serious, but help is at hand, says Mike Sullivan, Managing Director of GOJO Industries, Europe.
Improving hand hygiene performance is one of the most effective ways to lower the risk of outbreaks of infection in hospital settings. The correct choice and positioning of hand washing and sanitising systems around a building should be high on the list of all healthcare and hospital facilities managers, along with appropriate signage. Hand hygiene is considered essential for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), according to the latest guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO’s new recommendations highlight hand hygiene as a core element to infection prevention and control programmes in healthcare settings, and reinforce the importance of these actions in fighting the challenge of AMR and other infections. The recommendations are clear, that an adequate number of appropriately positioned hand hygiene facilities should be readily available at the point of care.
The WHO said hand hygiene products (for example, alcohol-based hand rubs) should be easily accessible and as close as possible – within arm’s reach of where patient care or treatment is taking place. Point-of- care products should be accessible without having to leave the patient zone, according to the guidelines.
WINTER WELLNESS This valuable advice from the WHO
is relevant all year round in the fight against AMR and other infections, and particularly during the winter months, which traditionally see an increase in viral illnesses. From the common cold and influenza, to norovirus,
18 | TOMORROW’S FM
“MORE THAN 80% OF ILLNESSES CAN BE
TRANSMITTED BY THE HANDS.”
more commonly known as the winter vomiting bug, these debilitating infections are highly contagious.
The implications of outbreaks of these and other so-called superbugs in healthcare settings are wide- ranging – from danger to patients in already vulnerable positions, to the disruption of normal services, such as the forced closure of hospital wards. Having a wide range of hand washing and sanitising options located throughout a healthcare facility can help boost hand hygiene compliance in both healthcare staff, who already make this part of their daily lives, and – crucially – visitors and patients.
Dispensers can be wall-mounted, free-standing, push-activated or touch- free. Soaps can come in gel or foam format, with or without fragrance; and hygienic hand rubs can also provide another level of protection in addition to washing hands.
Unfortunately, while more than 80% of illnesses can be transmitted by the hands, research shows that 25% of people don’t wash their hands after using the washroom, while a further 46% don’t wash long enough to be effective. These startling facts highlight how important hand hygiene is, and the need for education and awareness on why and when visitors and patients should be cleaning their hands.
Education campaigns are important, with notices and posters at key germ hotspots, such as the washroom, are a good start. Eye-catching signage, posters and other visual displays can be very effective, and good hand hygiene companies can offer sound advice on the most effective approaches, and provide materials, based on their knowledge of the sector.
Hospitals are well aware of the benefits of promoting good hand hygiene practices to staff and visitors. GOJO has worked closely with acute healthcare facilities over the years to understand the barriers to hand hygiene performance and the needs of healthcare workers. Hospital- grade product efficacy is only part of the solution in helping improve patient outcomes. The high frequency with which many healthcare workers have to use hygienic hand rub means that it is imperative that formulations are accessible throughout a facility, as well as gentle on the skin.
www.gojo.com
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