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Hand washing is an important infection control method in hospitals across the country. A new mathematical model suggests that hospitals may have to become even more diligent. The investigators explored the impact of just one doctor, nurse or technician who failed to wash hands adequately. Such a "superspreader" traveling throughout the hospital could triple the rate of hospital-acquired infections. Since this is more likely when hospitals are overloaded with patients during an epidemic such as H1N1 influenza, it is ever more critical for everyone to wash hands conscientiously.
[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences]
It seems everything I have read about the squirt on hand sanitizer gels is that they don't do much to prevent the spread of disease, yet they have sprung up all over the place since H1N1 is hitting so many people.
Does it actually do any good except for companies like Gojo that make the Purell brand sanitizer? I use it, but squirt on a lot and keep paper towels to wipe it off in hopes of taking germs and viruses off my hands that way.
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: STUDIES SHOW THAT HAND SANITIZERS DO KILL BACTERIA AND EVEN VIRUSES. HAND WASHING IS BEST, BUT DON'T DISPARAGE THE SANITIZERS.
There also needs to be a way for patients confined to the use of a bed pan or a beside commode to wash their hands, as well. Recently, I was in this situation, and while the hospital obviously was concerned about its personnel washing their hands and using gloves, there was no consideration given to patients in this regard.
I had to ask for some way to wash my hands after every use of the commode, and some solutions were worse than others. None was very good. Also, I had to wait quite a long time to make my request because the nurses and aides were very busy.
Surely attention need to be given to patients and their hygiene in this fight against the spread of contamination.