Hand Hygiene Means Nail Hygiene
Published
Welcome to day 1 of the Protect Your Patients, Protect Yourself challenge.
What are the 3 areas most often missed by health care providers when using alcohol-based hand sanitizer?
If you said the thumbs, fingertips, and between fingers, you're correct. And just as your fingertips can harbor germs and bacteria, so can your nails. Longer nails hide more bacteria than short nails, so the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends keeping your nails trimmed and cleaning underneath them while handwashing. The CDC also recommends you:
When you use alcohol-based hand sanitizer, get enough to coat every area of your hands. The effectiveness of the hand sanitizer is proportional to the amount you use. Your palms, fingertips, and nails should be wet with it.
Use this time to refresh your knowledge about when to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer versus soap and water. You can also earn FREE CEs from taking a hand hygiene refresher course.
Find this helpful? Use the social media links on the left side of your page to share this with a nurse and invite them to join Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation!
Join us on day 2!
What are the 3 areas most often missed by health care providers when using alcohol-based hand sanitizer?
If you said the thumbs, fingertips, and between fingers, you're correct. And just as your fingertips can harbor germs and bacteria, so can your nails. Longer nails hide more bacteria than short nails, so the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends keeping your nails trimmed and cleaning underneath them while handwashing. The CDC also recommends you:
- Avoid biting or chewing your nails
- Do not cut your cuticles, since they aid in infection prevention
- Use sanitized clippers to trim hangnails instead of ripping or biting them
- Clean your nail grooming tools (like nail clippers) before each use
- Avoid wearing artificial fingernails if you have direct contact with high-risk patients
When you use alcohol-based hand sanitizer, get enough to coat every area of your hands. The effectiveness of the hand sanitizer is proportional to the amount you use. Your palms, fingertips, and nails should be wet with it.
Use this time to refresh your knowledge about when to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer versus soap and water. You can also earn FREE CEs from taking a hand hygiene refresher course.
Find this helpful? Use the social media links on the left side of your page to share this with a nurse and invite them to join Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation!
Join us on day 2!
Blog Challenge Tips
06/20/2023 2:41pm CDT
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