CLEANING & HYGIENE
A Helping Hand in Infection Prevention
Chris Wakefield, Managing Director UK & Ireland at GOJO Industries-Europe, explores the surprising ways that germs can infiltrate care settings and how to ensure staff have healthy hands.
Cleaning and hygiene are central to the prevention and control of infection in shared spaces, but especially in care homes, where residents are oſten elderly and vulnerable. This has been perfectly illustrated over the past year. Reassuringly, as the awareness of its importance has grown, so too have thorough cleaning schedules and diligent hand hygiene practice.
The past year has certainly shone a light on the dedication of care staff in looking aſter their residents. To keep their establishments infection-free, rigorous cleaning measures have not only been implemented but, in some cases, workers have even temporarily ‘moved-in’ to avoid carrying coronavirus into the homes.
However, germs and bacteria are persistent. No matter how well – or thorough – settings are cleaned, some pathogens still find ways to infiltrate settings. For example, on mobile phones. A smartphone can be both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it is a valuable device, which can aid staff in caring for patients and residents via a myriad of apps- helping to calculate doses of medication, for instance. But on the other, these gadgets are oſten carriers for infection. In fact, (pre-pandemic) research found that they could be covered in up to ten times as much bacteria as a toilet seat and that people check them every 12 minutes of the waking day.
That’s just one example. There are numerous other hidden touchpoints which may be harbouring bacteria. A keypad entry system, a pen which has been used previously by another person, or even the staff room kettle (one study found faecal matter on the handle) are other instances. When you consider that contaminated hands can sequentially transfer some viruses to up to seven surfaces, and that 14 people can be contaminated by touching the same object one aſter the other, it is clear that staff must uphold good hand hygiene behaviour at all times.
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Recent news has shown that 59% of healthcare workers seen in occupational skin disease clinics set up during the COVID-19 pandemic were found to be affected by irritant contact dermatitis due to an increased use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and frequent handwashing. Although there are no official figures available, it is highly likely that such statistics are mirrored in the care sector, where workers also need to don PPE and practise hand hygiene repeatedly during their shiſts.
The first step in positively influencing good hand hygiene behaviour, therefore, is to ensure that the products are a pleasure to use and won’t irritate. Opt for mild formulations that have been enriched with moisturising agents to keep hands healthy, soſt, and supple, and use hygienic hand rub, when hands are not visibly soiled. Studies have shown that this can actually be a friendlier choice for skin than soap and water.
As well as skin health, it is crucial to take into account a product’s efficacy. Look out for key hospital norms EN 1500, EN 14476, and EN 12791, which provide assurance that they are safe for use in healthcare settings. Selecting products that reach their stated efficacy levels quickly can be a key differentiator too. For example, PURELL Advanced Hygienic Hand Rub has proven to be effective against coronavirus in just 30 seconds, helping to reduce the amount of time required for busy care workers to clean their hands effectively.
Whilst hand hygiene practice is at an all-time high, we must work hard to ensure this continues beyond the pandemic, amongst both staff and residents’ friends and families, who are just starting to be welcomed onto premises again. Supplying gentle, yet effective products can play a crucial role in ensuring this happens.
www.GOJO.com
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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