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Hand Hygiene

Overview

Hand hygiene (e.g., handwashing, hand antisepsis, or surgical hand antisepsis) substantially reduces potential pathogens on the hands and is considered the single most critical measure for reducing the risk of transmitting organisms to patients and healthcare personnel (HCP). Hospital-based studies have demonstrated that noncompliance with hand hygiene practices is associated with healthcare-associated infections and the spread of multiresistant organisms. Noncompliance also has been a major contributor to outbreaks. The prevalence of healthcare-associated infections decreases as adherence of HCP to recommended hand hygiene measures improves. Source: CDC

Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings 
• Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings - 2003
• Clean Hands Count Campaign 
• Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care

World Health Organization (WHO)

• World Hand Hygiene Day

Fact Sheets & Information

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Hand Hygiene Interactive Training Program
• Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives 
• Clean Hands Count

Patient Information

Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)

• Hand Hygiene
  
  

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• About Hand Hygiene 

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