The CDC released a new report titled "Guide to Infection Prevention for Outpatient Settings: Minimum Expectations for Safe Care," which included key recommendations for hand hygiene in the outpatient setting.
Here are key takeaways from the report on hand hygiene:
1. Both the CDC and World Health Organization recommend using alcohol-based hand rubs as the primary hand hygiene mode in healthcare settings because ABHR can protect against an array of pathogens and there is increased compliance when compared with water and soap hand washing.
2. Hand hygiene should be performed before contact with the patient and before performing an aseptic task, such as inserting the IV or preparing an injection.
3. Hand hygiene should occur after contact with patients or objects in the immediate vicinity of the patient as well as after contact with blood or bodily fluids. Hand hygiene should also occur after removing personal protective equipment.
4. When moving hands from a contaminated body-site to clean body site, providers should practice hand hygiene during patient care.
5. Providers should use soap and water to clean their hands when their hands are visibly dirty or after caring for patients with Clostridium difficile or norovirus.
