The origins of handwashing as a way to reduce the spread of infection can be attributed to a Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis, who is practiced in a hospital in Vienna, Austria. In 1847, Dr. Semmelweis observed a high incidence of puerperal fever and death in women treated by inmates who had performed autopsies. Dr. Semmelweis invited students to wash their hands with a solution of chlorinated lime, which in today's world, plays an important role in public health and the health of the environment through its disinfectant, disinfectant and whitening properties .
Dr. Semmelweis noted an immediate reduction in the incidence of fatal postpartum fever from about 10 percent to 1 percent to 2 percent. Imagine Dr. Semmelweis saying, "Here is the proof," only to be rejected, ridiculed and ignored. He was discharged from the hospital and harassed so much by the medical community in Vienna he moved to Budapest. He spent many years arguing with the leading European medical professional only to be finally confined to a mental institution where he died. It was only after his death, when Louis Pasteur developed the germ theory, that Dr. Semmelweis's handwashing practice became more accepted.
Fast forward to today and see what has changed. Several studies have shown that compliance with handwashing has improved in some cases but is still poor in others. The American Society of Microbiology oversees the hands of American adults who wash habits since 1996. In the recent telephone survey, 96% of adults say they wash their hands after using public restrooms while 93% of women And 77% homework.
When the study began in 1996, overall compliance with public toilets was 68%, but despite this apparent improvement, 81% of us have seen (or heard) someone leaving public restrooms without washing their hands. Additional data show that washing hands before handling or eating food passes about 83 percent for women and 71 percent of men, 43 percent of mothers do not wash their hands after changing a Diaper and only 39 percent of Americans wash their hands after coughing or sneezing.
Microorganisms are "resident" and normally live on our skin in a stable or "transient" number and freely attach to the skin by contact with other people, surfaces and equipment. Some microorganisms are pathogens, causing diseases and surviving for hours, days or months on some surfaces.
The good news is that many transient microorganisms can be easily removed with the usual hygiene practices. When asked why hand washing or hand hygiene had not been done, most people thought it was not necessary or important that they forgot that they were not as long as the water and soap or hand sanitizer Too dry and irritated.
In the health care industry, hand washing with soap and water, and the use of hand sanitizer are clearly associated with a lower risk of associated health care infections. It is important that people realize that the risk of IRAS is no longer limited to the hospital setting; Nursing facilities, medical clinics and home care and palliative care are presented as risk areas.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and other organizations have joined together to promote improved hand hygiene in health care around the world. Hand hygiene is only an element in reducing incidence and the burden of IRAS and the practice of handwashing or hand hygiene at the right time and in the right way greatly helps to protect the lives of those of us , As health professionals.
So which is better - water and soap or hand sanitizer? Numerous studies have found that hand-held disinfectants
