Who?
You and those
around you can
make a difference
in your healthcare.
You, your
loved ones,
and your
healthcare
providers
should
keep
hands
clean.
About IPRO
IPRO is the federally funded Medicare Quality Improvement
Organization (QIO) for New York State, under contract with
the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
The QIO Program is the largest federal program dedicated
to improving health quality at the local level, with a focus
on three broad aims:
Better patient care,
Better population health,
Lower healthcare costs through improvement.
•
•
•
The QIO Program supports patients by:
Providing information to help you better manage your
own healthcare,
•
• Reviewing quality of care complaints,
with local healthcare providers to make
• Working
healthcare safer and “patient-centered,”
• Listening to you and learning from your experiences,
to remove roadblocks between you and better
• Helping
healthcare.
This material was prepared by the Atlantic Quality Innovation Network (AQIN), the Medicare
Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization for New York State, South
Carolina, and the District of Columbia, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents
do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. 11SOW-TskC.1-15-07
Washing your hands is one of the
simplest things you can do to stay
safe from germs. It is important to
wash your hands to stay healthy
and stop the spread of infections.
Make sure to wash your hands
before and after caring for yourself
or your loved ones.
Why?
How?
To prevent hospital infections.
With soap and water:
With an alcohol-based hand rub:
1. Wet your hands with
warm, running water.
Use liquid soap if
possible. Apply a
quarter-sized amount
of soap to your hands.
1. Apply the product into the
palm of one hand. Use
enough to match the
size of a U.S. quarter.
2. Rub your hands
together briskly. The soapy
lather should cover the top of
your hands, in between your fingers and the area
around and under the fingernails.
3. Rub the product all
over the top of your
hands, in between your fingers,
and the area around and under your fingernails.
• All patients are at risk for hospital infections.
• Infections you get in the hospital can be serious and
hard to treat.
• Keeping hands clean is one of the most important
ways to stop the spread of infections. These infections
include the flu and Clostridium difficile (C diff).
When?
You ALWAYS should clean your
hands:
•
• Before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Before and after changing wound dressings or bandages.
• After using the restroom.
• After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
Before preparing or eating food.
Which?
Use soap and water:
• When your hands look dirty.
• When soap and water are easily available.
Use an alcohol-based hand rub:
• When your hands do not look dirty.
• If you cannot get to a sink.
• If soap and water are not available.
• After touching hospital surfaces such as bed rails,
bedside tables, doorknobs, remote controls, the call
button, or the phone.
2. Rub your hands
together.
3. Continue rubbing your hands together for 15 seconds.
(This is the same as singing the “Happy Birthday” song
two times.)
4. Keep rubbing the surfaces of your hands and fingers
for about 15 seconds until your hands are dry.
(This is the same as singing the “Happy Birthday”
song two times.)
4. Rinse your hands well under running
water.
5. Do not rinse your hands with water or dry them with
a towel.
5. Dry vigorously with
paper or clean cloth
towel.
6. Turn off faucet and
open door with
towel to keep your
hands clean.
About
alcohol-based
hand rubs:
Products that kill germs
on the hands.
Should contain 60% to 95%
ethanol or isopropanol
(types of alcohol).
Are fast-acting and easy to use.
Should NOT be used
to stop the spread of
Clostridium difficile infection.
Use soap and water
instead.