Links & Terms
Links:
- Hand Hygiene Australia
- Victorian Hand Hygiene Project (DHS)
- Final Report of Special Commission of Inquiry: Acute Care in NSW Public Hospitals Vol. 2 (Peter Garling, Nov 2008)
- WHO "Clean Care is Safer Care"
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings - 2002
Definitions of terms:
Alcohol based handrub: an alcohol -containing preparation designed for application to the hands for reducing the number of viable microorganisms on the hands.
Decontaminate hands: to reduce bacterial counts on hand by performing antiseptic hand rub or antiseptic hand wash
Hand Hygiene: a general term that applies to decontaminating hands by means of handwashing, antiseptic handwash, antiseptic hand rub or surgical hand antisepsis.
Handwashing: washing hands with plain (i.e. Non-anti-microbial) soap and water.
Plain Soap: refers to detergents that do not contain anti-microbial agents or contain low concentrations of antimicrobial agents that are effective solely as preservatives.