Why handwashing is important in healthcare

On average, healthcare providers clean their hands less than half of the times they should. On any given day, about one in 31 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection.

FDA has issued a proposed rule to address data gaps for certain active ingredients in healthcare antiseptics External external icon. Healthcare workers should continue to use healthcare antiseptic products currently recommended in professional and national guidelines including CDC infection control guidelines and consistent with facility policy.

Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings. Ensuring doctors, nurses and other staff have clean hands is critical to prevent the spread of illness. The Joint Commission, a health care accreditation organization, says direct observation of staff hand hygiene is the most effective and accurate way to measure hand hygiene compliance.

Johns Hopkins Medicine strives for percent hand hygiene compliance for all health care workers. Regardless of job role, every employee of Johns Hopkins Medicine must practice good hand hygiene to protect our patients, visitors, colleagues, and friends. Posters and signs are placed around the hospital as reminders for health care workers, patients, and visitors to wash their hands or use a sanitizing gel. Staff and patients are also encouraged to speak up if they notice someone forgot to wash their hands.

Johns Hopkins Medicine also educates staff that may not have direct patient contact but still play a vital role in infection prevention through good hand hygiene. We continually use signs and education to remind staff of the importance of hand hygiene.

All staff are encouraged to speak up if they see someone who has forgotten to wash their hands. Every Johns Hopkins Medicine hospital also has employee recognition programs for staff members and units excelling at consistently practicing good hand hygiene.

Many of our facilities also have programs in place for direct feedback and coaching for staff members who were observed forgetting to perform hand hygiene. I care for patients with compromised immune systems who are getting chemotherapy or having surgery. It is my job, and the job of the other nurses, to keep our patients safe, free from harm and free from infection. Our team knows that clean hands save lives. In the center of our unit, we have a pledge board for hand hygiene, where we all have added our names.

We insist all staff; visitors and patients observe the highest standards of hand hygiene to minimise this risk. If you think a member of staff may have forgotten to clean their hands before touching you or something used in your care, please remind them. If you feel uncomfortable asking a member of staff, please discuss your concerns with the nurse caring for you so the matter can be followed up. Was this information helpful?

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