OPINION: Health Starts With Hygiene
Nurses need to set example for healthier environment
Monday November 2, 2009
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Judith G. Berg, RN
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I hope a lot of nurses take advantage of the course content and spend the few minutes it will take to get the facts related to what is expected to be a significant healthcare challenge. Of course, that is only the first step, and must be followed by action which puts the knowledge into practice.
One of the most important and simple preventative actions is handwashing, and yet that also has become one of the most difficult aspects to manage. I am continually amazed at the lack of handwashing I observe around me — even in groups of people who should know better.
Recently at a large meeting of nurses, I saw nurses leaving the rest room without washing their hands. Did they forget to wash, or was a conscious decision made to omit the handwashing? I even saw a nurse turn on the water taps and stand there without putting her hands under the water, before drying her already dry hands, I’ve heard of functioning in a virtual environment, but this seems to be taking it to an entirely new and inappropriate level. I’ve also observed a five-second wash which seems to involve quickly passing hands under the water (no soap) before grabbing a towel to dry hands which are barely wet. Although I have to believe this practice is completely useless, it must meet some standard that allows the individual involved to mentally check the handwashing requirement off the list.
While these examples are certainly the exception, I’m guessing if I’ve seen them others have, too. I need to get better at reminding others to wash their hands if I see they have forgotten to do it, and I encourage all nurses to join me in this exercise. We need to help each other ensure a safe environment for our patients and ourselves, and this is one small but very important aspect of doing just that.
Nurses continue to have the enviable public position as the most trusted profession, and I think being consistent role models related to safe care practices around handwashing is one critical way of reflecting that trust. Let’s work together to make sure we’re all doing our part during this difficult flu season.
Let’s work together to make sure we’re all doing our part during this difficult flu season.
Judith G. Berg, RN, MS, FACHE, is VP of Nursing Communications & Initiatives. To comment, e-mail jberg@gannetthg.com.
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