Clinical Skill Information Sheet
Hand Washing and Sanitisation
Aim
To safely and effectively demonstrate adherence to hand hygiene principles
Indication
Hand hygiene is required at all times when working in the health care sector.
Background
Hand hygiene is the process of hand washing and/or sanitisation with alcohol gel.
Hand hygiene is important as it reduces the chance of transmission of disease
between patients by clinicians. Research suggests that proper hand hygiene has a
positive impact on reducing patient mortality and morbidity rates. Paramedics have a
responsibility to ensure optimum quality of patient care and therefore should adhere
to proper hand hygiene practices at all times.
Hand washing and/or sanitisation should occur at the following times:
However, in paramedic practice, gloves will be applied prior to attending a patient.
Often a paramedic will only be attending a single patient at any one time and
therefore vigilance must occur regarding glove use and hand hygiene.
The following should be considered in relation to gloves, hand hygiene and
paramedic practice;
 Hand hygiene is required before putting on gloves and immediately after
removing them
 Hand hygiene products should not be applied to gloves
 Inappropriate glove use often undermines efforts to sustain correct hand
hygiene
 Wearing gloves does not replace the need for hand hygiene
 Prolonged and indiscriminate use of gloves should be avoided as it may
cause adverse reactions and skin sensitivity
Bachelor of Paramedic Science 2015
Clinical Skill Information Sheet
Use the following resource from Hand Hygiene Australia and the World Health
Organization to ensure effective hand washing and rubbing practices.
Bachelor of Paramedic Science 2015