HEALTHCARE HYGIENE
The need for speed
'Not having enough time’ for hand hygiene is a reason often cited by healthcare workers when it comes to non-compliance. Chris Wakefield, Managing Director UK & Ireland at GOJO Industries-Europe, explains how to speed up the process.
In hospitals and healthcare facilities, every second counts. Attending to patients in accident and emergency departments quickly can make the difference between life and death. At the other end of the scale, where care is routine or non-urgent, there are still severe staff shortages, meaning that time is also in precious demand.
Speed is always of the essence in these busy environments. However, this must not come at the cost of good practice. Practicing regular hand hygiene is an integral strand of any infection control programme, yet compliance can be compromised for a variety of reasons.
One of the most common barriers cited by healthcare workers is that they simply don’t have enough time – not surprising when you consider that there are 40,000 vacancies within the Registered Nursing staff group.
This shortage has left existing healthcare staff overburdened, stressed and under pressure to care for vulnerable patients, or to find the time to wash or sanitise their hands effectively. In fact, according to research we undertook with healthcare trusts, they told us that they felt as if they didn’t have time to clean their hands as often as they should.
So, what can be done to help make the process easier and quicker, without compromising on care or efficacy?
Products that get to work quickly
Only soaps or hand sanitisers whose effectiveness has been proven through independent scientific testing and that meet key hospital standards should be considered. The best products successfully combine proven efficacy with soothing, moisturising ingredients that care for skin.
However, as well as being effective, solutions that act fast and dry quickly, like PURELL Advanced Hygienic Hand Rub, are key. Many people don't spend very long washing or sanitising hands, so selecting products that reach their stated efficacy levels quickly is vital.
Strategic positioning The correct positioning can make a huge difference
50 | TOMORROW'S CLEANING
in promoting hygienic behaviour. Put simply, effective opportunities for hand hygiene must be situated at the point of use – so that they are easily accessible and provide a visible prompt.
In healthcare environments, the World Health Organization recommends that hand hygiene points are readily available and conveniently sited at the point of care, ideally within arm’s reach of where patient care or treatment is taking place. Handwashing and sanitising products should also be placed in prominent positions on walking routes, as well as in waiting areas, and all entrances and exits to each ward and, of course, the buildings themselves.
There’s also value in highlighting such locations with eye-catching notices or posters. As part of our work with Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the new signage we installed made it much easier to spot hand hygiene points and reduced missed hand hygiene opportunities.
We also recommend equipping busy healthcare staff with small form versions of hygienic hand rub, enabling them to sanitise whilst moving between patients and reduce the time required for effective cleansing.
Easy to maintain
Dispensers should be intuitive to operate and, importantly, easy to maintain and replenish. After all, if they run empty it’s impossible to sanitise or wash hands. The PURELL ES range of dispensers feature ‘AT-A-GLANCE’ refills, which enable staff to check product levels quickly and easily, without having to open each dispenser individually.
Working with a trusted, specialist partner can optimise a healthcare settings’ approach to hand hygiene. The result? The act is less time consuming and onerous, compliance is built-in, which, in turn, helps prevent the spread of infection and, ultimately, saves lives.
www.gojo.eu/uk twitter.com/TomoCleaning
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
