Highlights
Every year, here at Emory Healthcare, we celebrate Hand Washing Awareness week.
The goal of National Hand Washing Awareness Week is to decrease the spread of infectious diseases by empowering individuals through education on the importance of hand washing to help protect their loved ones and communities. By working together we can make a difference!
At each of our facilities, all of our team members practice hand hygiene and we are reminded at almost every turn, via signage and educational information just how important hand hygiene is for the health and wellness of our staff, patients, families and visitors.
By definition, hand hygiene is the cleaning of the hands using either soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. Hand “washing” refers to hand cleaning using soap and water. Hands can become contaminated with bacteria during routine daily activities such as eating, coughing, changing diapers, caring for an ill loved one, or taking out the trash. Hand hygiene doesn’t get rid of all bacteria on the hands, but it can reduce the number of bacteria on the hands and prevent spread of bacteria from one person to another, or prevent the contamination of additional surfaces.
The 6 Rules of Hand Washing:
- Always wash your hands after using the bathroom, changing diapers, cleaning up after your pets, or handling money.
- Wash your hands when they’re dirty.
- Always wash your hands before eating.
- Don’t cough or sneeze into your hands.
- Refrain from putting your fingers in your eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Avoid touching people and surfaces with unclean hands.
Proper Hand Washing Technique:
- Wet hands with warm water, then use soap (preferably anti-bacterial).
- Rub your hands together, making sure to scrub all areas.
- Be sure to rub for a minimum of 15 seconds, or sing “Happy Birthday” to make hand washing most effective.
- Rinse thoroughly, then dry hands on a clean towel.
- Finally, be sure and turn faucet off with the towel, not your hands, to prevent re-contamination.
Do you have other tips that help you practice good hand hygiene? If so, share them with us and our readers using the comments field below!
Packing your food lineup with nutritious choices doesn’t mean you have to go to the store with a big wallet. With a little strategy, you can eat right even when your budget is tight. In fact, here is a selection of tips to empower you to eat right, while still keeping an eye on your budget.
Are you looking for a healthy and inexpensive alternative to your average high-fat sour cream and onion dip? Try hummus! Hummus is a pureed blend of chickpeas or garbanzo beans, tahini (a sesame seed paste), garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. It is believed to have originated in the Middle East and has been consumed there for thousands of years. Recognized even in ancient times for its nutritional value, hummus is an excellent source of protein, iron, vitamin C, folate and vitamin B6. Furthermore, hummus contains a fair amount of fiber from the chickpeas, as well as healthy unsaturated fats from the olive oil and tahini.
