Hygiene is one of the easiest and arguably most important parts of healthcare. Many precautions can be taken to minimise the spread of infection from person to person, and in medicine they are essential preventative measures.
Hand hygiene
In a clinical setting, hand hygiene means washing the hands with soap and water, or hand sanitiser, between every patient contact. It is paramount to preventing the spread of infectious disease.
A six-stage handwashing technique (Ayliffe et al, 1978) is the best-known method:
- Rub palm to palm
- Backs of both hands
- Palm to palm with fingers interlaced
- Rub both palms with fingertips of the other hand
- Rub all parts of both hands including the wrists
- Rub the backs of fingers with them interlocked
Each stage should consist of five backward and forward strokes. It may seem tedious but should take less than a minute, and is vital in preventing disease spread.
Respiratory hygiene
Linked to hand hygiene when coughing and sneezing. Tissues should be carried to catch germs, disposed of immediately after use, and followed by handwashing using the technique above.
What we do in clinic
Osteopaths take particular precautions, both for self-protection and patient protection: washing hands before and after every patient, fresh sheets and towels per patient, clean uniform each day, and personal protection when there is any risk of contact with bodily fluids such as a cut or graze.