Hand Hygiene and Personal Protective Equipment PDF

# Chapter 4 ## Hand Hygiene - Hand hygiene is aimed at reducing the number of microorganisms on hands and is the single most important measure for preventing the transmission of microorganisms. ### Methods of Hand Hygiene: 1. **Routine hand wash (hand washing with plain or antimicrobial soap).**...

# Chapter 4 ## Hand Hygiene - Hand hygiene is aimed at reducing the number of microorganisms on hands and is the single most important measure for preventing the transmission of microorganisms. ### Methods of Hand Hygiene: 1. **Routine hand wash (hand washing with plain or antimicrobial soap).** - Hand washing with plain or antimicrobial soap with running water is the advised method when hands are visibly dirty or contaminated with proteinaceous material, blood or other body fluids. 2. **Antiseptic hand wash (alcohol-based hand rub)(ABHR)** - The use of an ABHR is the preferred method of hand hygiene in health care settings when hands are visibly and clinically clean (no visible bioburden). 3. **Surgical hand antisepsis (surgical hand wash)** - Water and antimicrobial liquid soap with persistent effect (e.g. chlorhexidine, iodophors). This method has a persistent effect and removes transient microorganisms with increased reduction of resident microorganisms. It is indicated before donning sterile gloves for surgical procedures. ### Five Moments of Hand Hygiene in Dental Care: 1. Before touching a patient. 2. Before clean/aseptic procedure. 3. After body fluid exposure risk. 4. After touching a patient. 5. After touching patient surroundings. # Chapter 5 ## Personal Protective Equipment - Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a collective term for the clothing and equipment worn by health practitioners, acting as a barrier to protect their own tissues from exposure to potentially infectious material. - PPE includes: gloves, masks, protective eyewear, gowns and enclosed footwear. - The use of dental handpieces, sonic and ultrasonic instruments and air/water syringes produces large quantities of aerosols, with an associated risk of airborne transmission of infectious microorganisms. - For standard precautions, PPE are selected based on the anticipated exposure. -_PPE should not be reused between patients._ ### 1. Gloves **A. Non-sterile gloves:** 1. Whenever contact with blood and body substances, contaminated items and surfaces are likely. 2. As a part of contact precautions. **B. Sterile gloves:** - When performing invasive or sterile procedures. ***Precautions:** - Wear properly fitting disposable gloves for all patients. - Use a new pair of gloves for each patient. - Replace gloves as soon as possible if they become soiled or damaged, do not wash gloves as this may damage glove integrity - For general dental procedures, wear non-sterile examination gloves, while, when a sterile field is required, wear sterile gloves. ### 2. Gown 1. To protect skin and clothing during procedures that may generate splashes of body substances. 2. As a part of contact precautions. ### 3. Mask **Indications of Surgical masks (regular masks):** 1. To protect healthcare worker during procedures that may generate splashes of body substances. 2. As a part of droplet precautions. **Precautions:** - Fit and wear your mask in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, ensuring an adequate seal around both the nose and mouth. - Avoid touching the front of the mask during patient treatment. - Change your mask between patients and when damp or visibly contaminated during treatment. - Remove by touching the strings and loops only, and discard immediately after use. ### 4. Respiratory Protection **Indications of respiratory protection** 1. Use to protect from inhalation of infectious aerosols (e.g. Mycobacterium tuberculosis). 2. As a part of airborne precautions - N95 Particulate respirator or equivalent respirators. ### 5. Eye Protection - In the form of safety glasses, goggles, facial shields. * Eyeglasses do not provide appropriate protection. **Indications:** - To protect the health care worker from splashes of blood and other body fluids to the mucous membranes of the face. ### 6. Footwear - Wear enclosed footwear that will protect your feet against injury from sharp objects. ### Sequence of Donning and Taking Off the PPE: #### **Steps to Don PPE** 1. Wash Hands 2. Don Gown 3. Don Mask or Respirator 4. Don Face Shield 5. Don Gloves ### Removing Personal Protective Equipment 1. Remove Gloves 2. Remove Gown 3. Perform hand hygiene 4. Remove eye protection 5. Remove mask or N95 respirator 6. Perform hand hygiene