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Friday, May 12, 2017

How To Do A Really Good Job Washing Your Hands

A recent study gives a thumbs-up to the World Health Organization's six-step plan. The problem is that lots of people — including health workers — fail to scrub.

If, like many of us, you are reading this article on the toilet — then we've caught you at the perfect time.

When you're done with your business, perhaps you'll do a thorough hand washing. Or maybe just a quick rinse. Or maybe you'll skip it altogether.

Failure to wash is a problem for ordinary folks. Germs on your unwashed hands can get into your body when you touch, say, your eyes or mouth. And into your food, too.

It's a problem for health workers as well. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that medical staff only remember to do so about half the times they're supposed to. The CDC states: "This contributes to the spread ofhealthcare-associated infections that affect 1 in 25 hospital patients on any given day." Worldwide, one in 10 patients acquires an infection while receiving health care.

So this month, the Centers for Disease Control is ramping up its campaign to get doctors, nurses and other medical staff to wash up.

But the question for medical workers (and really, for everyone) is: Do you do a good job?

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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Having worked in the food processing industry and health care I do have a suggestion about washing your hands , for men only.
I shower every morning , and wash everywhere. I've told my men at work to wash before and after using the bathroom. The reason for before is that your penis is probably the cleanest thing on your body , it has remained undercover since your shower , your hands are contaminated with every thing you have touched .
Medical workers should wash many times a day as use the the proper solutions such as iodine , this is available at all facilities. Most food processors also use a hand wash station with iodine. Of course we don't monitor all these people like Japan does. We should have all stations enforced with a device to monitor . In some food industry locations they make you walk through an iodine solution the sanitize your footwear.

Anonymous said...

Is this how moronic our society has become? We need the media to tell us to wash our hands?

Anonymous said...

"...We need the media to tell us to wash our hands?"

Well, the feds tell us what to eat, what MPG our cars should get, where we can't smoke, etc. so what did you expect?

Jim said...

"Is this how moronic our society has become? We need the media to tell us to wash our hands?"

Yes.

Example: 'smartphones' were tested for contamination recently and were found to be typically dirtier than a toilet seat, yet I saw a young girl behind the meat counter at the store texting, then put her phone down and handle the meat in the meat case.

And when you go into a restroom, notice how often people leave without washing their hands or they just rinse them quickly.

Anonymous said...

there is a song, I think nurses use, that is sung to properly wash your hands the required amount of time.

Anonymous said...

Cite the study that proves cell phones are dirtier than toilet seats please.

Anonymous said...

I guess I still cling to the notion that adults should be expected to behave like adults. I know that's a reach.

Anonymous said...

The song is happy birthday and you sing it twice then you will have washed your hands the proper amount of time.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
The song is happy birthday and you sing it twice then you will have washed your hands the proper amount of time.

May 12, 2017 at 9:20 AM

I was thinking it was some other song but thanks for your input.

Anonymous said...

google "are cell phones dirtier than toilet seats" and see numerous sources (ABC News, Huffington Post, USA Today, Readers's Digest, Medical Daily, etc)

Anonymous said...

7:44
Yes the morons need to be told and supervised. Not by the media, but by their supervisor. I stopped in a fast food joint and entered the bathroom to wash my hands. While there, someone came out of a stinking stall and walked past me. I could see in the mirror this was a employee (or wearing their uniform) headed out without washing his hands. A friend was in line to order our food and I walked up and told him to forget mine. He said what did you see?, then said I don't even want to hear it, I'm hungry. I walked away as the server (from the stall) was dipping my friends fries. I know they can't monitor the employee in the bathroom, but why not have a sink to wash hands inside the work area when returning. If you leave the work station, make it mandatory to wash when returning. Even if you leave the area to serve a customer or take a smoke.

Anonymous said...

Anybody remember the episode of Jerry Seinfeld's show where he saw the chef exit the bathroom stall without washing his hands? Then Jerry watched as the chef rolled dough with his unwashed hands.
This makes me never want to eat any food I don't cook myself.