Until 1995 Guidelines For Hand Hygiene

Question: A healthcare worker is providing care to a patient without active infection. The healthcare worker's hands may become contaminated with bacteria during:

Answer: Either invasive or "clean" care activities. All people have bacteria in and on their bodies. This is true whether or not the person has an active infection. Therefore, contamination can happen during "clean" or invasive care on any patient.

Question: According to CDC guidelines, an acceptable substitute for an alcohol-based rub is:

Answer: Antimicrobial soap and water. In situations calling for an alcohol-based rub, antimicrobial soap and water may be used instead.

Question: For routine hand hygiene in the healthcare setting, the MOST effective products are:

Answer: Alcohol-based rubs. For routine hand hygiene, the best product to use is an alcohol-based rub.

Question: For surgical hand antisepsis using an alcohol-based product, choose a surgical hand scrub product with:

Answer: Persistent activity. For surgical hand antisepsis, it is important to choose a product with persistent activity against microbes.

Question: A best practice for using an alcohol rub to decontaminate hands is:

Answer: Rub hands together until dry after applying the rub. To use an alcohol rub, apply enough of the product to wet all hand surfaces. Then rub hands together until dry. Do not wash hands after using the rub.

Question: Regarding hand hygiene, spread of infection, and artificial fingernails:

Answer: Artificial fingernails are associated with spread of Gram-negative bacteria. Healthcare workers should not wear artificial fingernails. Gram-negative bacteria persist on artificial nails even after proper hand hygiene is performed.

Question: According to CDC guidelines, use ___________ for routine decontamination of hands that are not visibly soiled.

Answer: Alcohol-based rubs. The CDC recommends the use of alcohol-based rubs for routine decontamination of hands that are not visibly dirty.

Question: Becky's hands are visibly soiled after contact with her patient. When washing her hands, she:* First: Wets her hands with warm water. * Second: Applies soap. Rubs her hands together vigorously for at least 15 seconds away from running water. Covers all surfaces of the hands and fingers. Do this away from the running water so that you do not wash the lather away. She remembers to scrub between her fingers and under her nails. * Third: She rinses her hands with water. She keeps her arms angled downward in the sink. * Fourth: She turns off the faucet with her wet hand.* Finally: She dries her hands with a disposable towel and disposes of the towel in the trash. Has Becky correctly washed her hands?

Answer: No. Becky has not washed her hands correctly. She turned off the faucet with her wet hand. Becky should have turned off the faucet with the paper towel she used to dry her hands.

Question: Bacterial colonization is:

Answer: Long-term presence of bacteria on the body without causing infection. All people have some degree of bacterial colonization. This refers to bacteria that live on the body but do not cause infection.

Question: For proper hand hygiene, natural nail tips should be kept:

Answer: Less than ¼-inch long. Natural nail tips should be kept less than ¼-inch long. Artificial nails should not be worn.

Question: In the 1800s, Ignaz Semmelweis found that removal of "cadaverous particles" was more effective when clinic workers:

Answer: Cleaned their hands with a chlorine solution. Semmelweis noticed a high death rate in the maternal clinic. He asked workers to start disinfecting their hands with a chlorine solution between patient contacts. With this new policy, maternal death rates dropped.

Question: According to CDC guidelines, when using soap and water to wash hands, apply soap and then rub hands together for at least:

Answer: 20 seconds. Soap lather should be rubbed over all hand surfaces for at least 20 seconds.

Question: Becky is using an alcohol hand rub for hand hygiene before providing patient care. Her hands were not visibly soiled. When using the rub, Becky:• Applies the rub to the palm of one hand. • Uses the volume of product recommended by the manufacturer and has enough to wet all surfaces of the hands. • Rubs her hands together until they are dry. She also ensures that all surfaces of her hands and fingers are rubbed. • Then washes her hands to ensure that any residual rub has been removed from her hands. Has Becky correctly sanitized her hands?

Answer: No. Becky should not wash her hands after using an alcohol rub. This is not necessary or recommended.

Question: Cross-contamination happens when:

Answer: A healthcare worker transfers bacteria from one patient to another. Cross-contamination is the transfer of contaminating bacteria from one place to another. In the healthcare setting, cross-contamination most often happens when a healthcare worker transfers bacteria from one patient to another, or from an environmental surface to a patient.

Question: Regarding gloves and hand antisepsis: The best practice is to use gloves:

Answer: Together with hand antisepsis. Hand antisepsis and gloves both should be used as appropriate. Hands should be decontaminated before and after glove use.

Question: To block cross-contamination, the best practice for healthcare workers is:

Answer: Disinfect hands between all patient contacts. The best practice to block cross-contamination of patients is to disinfect hands between patient contacts.

Question: In most people, skin flora tends to be most concentrated in particular areas, including:

Answer: The groin. The groin is one area where skin flora is concentrated.

Question: Until 1995, guidelines for hand hygiene in the United States focused on the use of:

Answer: Plain soap and water. Early hand hygiene guidelines in the U.S. focused on the use of plain soap and water.

Question: When did healthcare workers first use chlorine solution to decontaminate their hands?

Answer: In the 1800s. In the 1800s, healthcare workers first used a chlorine solution for hand hygiene.

Question: The hand hygiene product with the LEAST activity against microbes is:

Answer: A plain soap. Plain soap has the least activity against microbes.

Question: Becky's hands are visibly soiled after contact with her patient. When washing her hands, she:* First: Wets her hands with warm water. * Second: Applies soap. Rubs her hands together vigorously for at least 15 seconds away from running water. Covers all surfaces of the hands and fingers. Do this away from the running water so that you do not wash the lather away. She remembers to scrub between her fingers and under her nails. * Third: She rinses her hands with water. She keeps her arms angled downward in the sink. * Fourth: She turns off the faucet with her wet hand. * Finally: She dries her hands with a disposable towel and disposes of the towel in the trash. Has Becky correctly washed her hands?

Answer: No