Hand Disinfection (Paramedic)

00:01 Welcome to our lecture on hand disinfection and donning sterile gloves.

00:07 We will first address the following questions: What is disinfection? What are the types of disinfection? How do I distinguish it from sterilization? And how do I put on sterile gloves properly? Afterward, you will see the exact procedure of the basics in the technique video.

00:24 So, what is disinfection and what does it hope to achieve? The very simple answer is, germ reduction.

00:33 We want to decrease the number of microorganisms that we humans normally carry on our hands.

00:39 Normal handwashing removes coarse dirt and visible soiling, but it does not effectively kill microorganisms.

00:47 All people carry normal bacteria flora on their skin, and although this usually poses no threat, it can become dangerous if it is given the chance to enter the body. Disinfection reduces the flora in the area, surrounding possible entry points, decreasing the risk of an infection developing.

01:10 Disinfection can be accomplished in several ways.

01:14 There is physical, chemo-thermal, and chemical disinfection.

01:19 Since our focus here is on hand disinfection, we will limit this presentation to chemical disinfection.

01:28 As I mentioned, when we wash our hands, we only remove gross dirt. The microorganisms, on the other hand, remain on the skin to some degree. The object of disinfection is to kill as many microorganisms as possible, to the point that there is no longer any risk of infection.

01:49 Sterilization, on the other hand, aims to achieve absolute sterility. This means killing all microorganisms and preventing their ability of reproducing.

02:00 According to the Robert Koch Institute, our hands are the biggest culprits in the transmission of microorganisms.

02:07 This applies not only to the hands of hospital staff, but to all medical personnel. This means that all medical personnel should disinfect their hands to avoid passing germs to other people.

02:22 Unfortunately, this is often neglected in practice.

02:27 Let's go over some basic rules for hand hygiene in general.

02:32 Rule number one: There should be no jewelry on your hands.

02:35 That is no rings, watches or bracelets.

02:38 These objects quickly become carriers of germs that can easily spread.

02:42 Rule number two: Always wear protective gloves when treating patients, especially when you think you may be coming into contact with contagious fluids or pathogens.

02:52 This can be the case even with a simple procedure.

02:57 Rule number three: be sure to change your gloves, otherwise you risk passing germs from one patient to the next.

03:06 A gain, you should change your gloves after each patient or procedure, and avoid leaving the same pair on all day.

03:19 Most gloves are disposable, and rarely require disinfection.

03:26 Rule number four is that providers should refrain from any patient interaction if the provider is sick with an infectious disease.

03:34 This is especially true for skin infections, as direct patient contact may infect the patient. There are also some general tips for hand disinfection, and I present them to you below.

03:48 First, your hands must be dry before disinfecting them. People often wash their hands before disinfecting, so just ensure they are dry before applying disinfectant.

04:02 Second, you must be sure to use enough disinfectant.

04:07 Your hand should remain wet with disinfectant for the duration of the process, otherwise it may not be fully effective.

04:15 Next, pay close attention to the sites that are often neglected.

04:19 These include the fingertips, under the nails, and thumbs.

04:24 You wouldn't believe how often the thumb is forgotten during disinfection.

04:29 Finally, please do not wave your hands in the air to dry them quickly.

04:36 They should be kept still until the disinfectant has dried on its own.

04:42 The question is: When do I need to perform hand disinfection? There are many situations.

04:48 But some special situations I would like to explain to you.

04:54 You should remember to disinfect your hands whenever you enter a sterile work field.

04:58 This presents the transmission of germs into that work area.

05:02 In addition, you should always disinfect your hands before any invasive procedure.

05:08 That could be venipuncture, intramuscular injection, or even intubation. But also when there is a risk of passing on pathogens to other media.

05:17 For example, when I prepare infusions, I disinfect my hands beforehand. Disinfection should also be performed before working with sterile supplies, preparing infusions, or treating open wounds.

05:34 Patients can also carry microorganisms themselves, which you would not want to contract. So if the patient is infectious, you must always disinfect your hands before and after contact, protecting yourself and the future patients you contact.

05:51 Remember, even if you have worn protective gloves, you should still disinfect your hands afterward.

05:58 S terile gloves are available in different sizes to ensure a good fit for everyone.

06:11 The gloves are usually double-wrapped, helping to ensure they remain s terile. To prevent spreading germs to your patient, it is important that you do not touch the outside of the gloves during the unpacking and application process.

06:26 Now that is the theory behind hand disinfection and applying sterile gloves.

06:30 Let's now take a look at the technique video to see it in action.

06:39 As mentioned earlier, please be sure to disinfect the neglected areas of your hands to help prevent risk of infection.

06:56 The disinfectant dispenser should not be operated with your hand, but rather with your foot or elbow.

07:03 Use enough disinfectant to ensure your hands remain moist throughout the disinfection time. Generally, disinfection takes place in steps.

07:15 The first step is to spread the disinfectant between the palms of the hands.

07:20 Then, the disinfectant is distributed between the interdigital spaces. This is done by cleaning the fingers and spaces with the palm of the opposite hand. Next, both thumbs are specifically disinfected.

07:34 You wouldn't believe how often the thumb is forgotten during disinfection.

07:39 Again, be sure to clean the predilection sites, including the nail folds.

07:48 Finally, the wrists are disinfected.

07:54 Always be sure to wait the recommended exposure time for the disinfectant being used. In this case, it is 30 seconds, during which the hands should be kept moist.

08:10 Finally, do not dry your hands, but keep them still until the disinfectant has dried on its own.

08:21 This is the only way to achieve the best possible germ reduction.