Hand Hygiene: Brush Up on the Key Components Clean hands are the number one way to prevent the spread of infections in healthcare settings.1 Unfortunately, many healthcare workers either skip or rush through key components of hand hygiene, putting themselves and residents at risk of contracting healthcare-associated infections. We created this brief overview to remind you of what products to use when in order to best protect everyone at your facility. In general, hand hygiene should be performed1: Before resident contact Before donning gloves Before inserting urinary catheters or any other invasive device that doesn’t require surgery After contact with a resident’s skin After contact with body fluids or excretions, non-intact skin or wound dressings After removing gloves The three primary products used for hand hygiene are soap (either plain or antimicrobial), alcohol-based hand rub and gloves.

Soap (plain or antimicrobial) When to use it To remove dirt, soil and various ogranic substances from the hands1 Don’t forget Don’t rush! Proper handwashing should take between 40 and 60 seconds. You might find it helpful to refer to the World Health Organization’s handwashing guidelines. After washing hands, use a paper towel to turn off the water faucet. One to try: DermaKleen

Alcohol-based hand rub When to use it Use routinely to decontaminate hands when they are not visibly soiled1 Don’t forget Hand rubs should contain between 60 and 95 percent alcohol and are not appropriate for hands that are visibly dirty or contaminated. When applying the product, be sure to follow the World Health Organization’s guidelines to ensure no part of the hand is missed. One to try: GelRite Instant Hand Sanitizer

Gloves When to use them When contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials, mucous membranes and nonintact skin could occur2 Don't forget Gloves should be removed after caring for a resident. Do not wear the same pair of gloves to care for more than one resident. Do not wash gloves between uses with different residents. Change gloves during resident care if moving from a contaminated body site to a clean body site.2 One to try: Embrace Nitrile Exam Gloves

The CDC emphasizes that facilities should ensure easy access to hand hygiene products, which has been shown to lead to improved compliance.1 Additionally, hand cream should be made readily available to help fight back against irritant contact dermatitis that can be associated with repeated handwashing. We recommend Embrace Moisturizing Hand & Body Cream, which was professionally formulated for caregivers. To learn more about ProMed’s complete hand hygiene line, contact your territory manager, give us a call at (800) 648-5190 or visit us online at promedsupply.com. References 1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings. Educational Slide Sets. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/handhygiene/training.html. Accessed August 18, 2015. 2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5116.pdf. Accessed August 18, 2015.

Happy Holidays from ProMed! Professional Medical will be closed on Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25 in honor of Christmas. Orders placed by noon on Friday, December 18 will be delivered by Wednesday, December 23. We will also be closed Thursday, December 31 and Friday, January 1 in honor of the New Year. Orders placed by noon on Wednesday, December 23 will be delivered by Wednesday, December 30. Please call our Customer Care department at 800.648.5190 if you have any questions or concerns.

Embrace Nitrile Exam Gloves provide the comfort, fit and sensitivity of latex gloves – with the peace of mind that comes with nitrile. Now it’s possible to protect your residents and staff from the health risks and expenses associated with latex allergies without sacrificing performance. Additional features: Eliminate reactions to latex proteins and other conditions associated with latex glove use Superior tensile strength Guard against hand fatigue Resistant to chemicals and unrivaled against blood-borne pathogens and other body fluids Powder free Textured Ambidextrous Non-sterile Single use only

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