"Hand Hygiene: 7 Steps Illustrated"

Hand hygiene is a crucial aspect of preventing the spread of infectious diseases. It's a simple yet powerful tool that everyone can use to protect themselves and others from germs. The World Health Organization (WHO) has outlined a 7-step process for effective hand hygiene, which we'll explore in detail in this article, complete with images to illustrate each step.

Why is Hand Hygiene Important?

Hand hygiene is the single most important measure to prevent the spread of infections in healthcare settings and in the community at large. Our hands can pick up and spread germs to others, and they can also pick up germs from contaminated surfaces and transfer them to our body through touching our eyes, nose, or mouth. By practicing good hand hygiene, we can significantly reduce the risk of infection.

WHO's 7 Steps of Hand Hygiene

The WHO's "My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene" approach has been updated to include a 7-step process. This process is designed to be simple, effective, and applicable in all settings. Let's dive into each step, accompanied by images to help illustrate the process.

Step 1: Wet Your Hands

Wet your hands with water. It doesn't have to be hot, but it should be comfortable. You can use warm or cold water.

Step 2: Apply Soap

Turn off the tap and apply soap. Any soap will do, but alcohol-based hand sanitizers can also be used if your hands are not visibly dirty.

Step 3: Lather Your Hands

Rub your hands together to make a lather. Make sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

Step 4: Scrub Your Hands

Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the "Happy Birthday" song twice. Don't forget to scrub all surfaces of your hands, including your wrists, palms, backs of hands, and between your fingers.

Step 5: Rinse Your Hands

Rinse your hands well under clean, running water. Again, the water doesn't have to be hot, but it should be comfortable.

Step 6: Dry Your Hands

Dry your hands thoroughly with a clean towel or air dry them. Wet hands can spread germs more easily, so it's important to dry them well.

Step 7: Turn Off the Tap

Turn off the tap using your elbow, a paper towel, or a clean cloth. This helps prevent re-contamination of your clean hands.

When Should You Perform Hand Hygiene?

According to the WHO, you should perform hand hygiene at these key moments:

• Before touching a patient
• After touching a patient
• Before a clean/aseptic procedure
• After a clean/aseptic procedure
• After exposure to body fluids
• After touching a patient's surroundings

In addition to these moments, you should also perform hand hygiene:

• After using the toilet
• After handling animals or animal waste
• After handling garbage
• Whenever your hands look dirty or feel dirty

Hand Hygiene in Different Settings

While the 7-step process remains the same, the methods and products used for hand hygiene can vary depending on the setting. Here's a brief overview:

Setting	Method	Product
Healthcare settings	Washing with soap and water	Any soap
Community settings	Alcohol-based hand sanitizers	Alcohol-based hand sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol

In some cases, such as when hands are visibly dirty or contaminated with heavy soil or chemicals, soap and water should be used even in community settings.

Hand Hygiene Myths Debunked

Let's address some common myths about hand hygiene:

• Myth: You only need to wash your hands when they're dirty. Fact: You should perform hand hygiene even when your hands don't look dirty, as they can still carry germs.
• Myth: Hand sanitizers are just as effective as soap and water. Fact: While alcohol-based hand sanitizers are effective, they may not remove all types of germs, such as certain types of bacteria and viruses, and they can also dry out your skin if used too frequently.
• Myth: You don't need to wash your hands after touching money. Fact: Money can carry germs and viruses, so it's a good idea to wash your hands after handling it.

Hand hygiene is a simple, yet powerful tool in the fight against infectious diseases. By following the 7 steps outlined by the WHO, we can all play a part in preventing the spread of germs and staying healthy. So, let's make hand hygiene a habit, not an exception.