Proper Hand-washing Technique
Practicing good Hand-washing technique reduces the spread of potentially life-threatening germs and other germs that can cause serious sickness. Although alcohol ACLS hand based gels can help reducing the spreading of germs, it does not rid the hands of the germs completely. Some organisms have the ability to live on surfaces for years, and hand washing reduces the number of the organism on the hands. That is why it is important to wash the hands a complete 15-20 seconds. Most people think that the hotter they can get the water that it will kill the bacteria. It is actually the friction of the hands rubbing together that eliminate the germs from the hands and can kill certain bacteria. Follow the proper technique used by health care professionals every day.
-Turn the water on to the temperature you can tolerate
-Wet the hands and apply an antibacterial soap/cleanser
-Rub the hands together to create friction, including between the fingers and wrists for at least 20 seconds. Clean also under the nails of the hands
-Rinse the hands and let the water run downward
-Dry the hands with paper towels if possible instead of hand towels
-Turn the faucet off with a clean paper towel and Do not let the hands touch the faucet. Discard the paper towels in the trash.
Remember to ALWAYS wash hands after having a bowel movement. The stool has E.coli bacteria and proper hand-washing technique will decrease the risk of contaminating surfaces or food. Stay healthy and safe by practicing important hand-washing technique.