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Clean Hands
- Transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens most frequently occurs via the hands of healthcare workers, who inadvertently contaminate their hands during various patient care activities
- Healthcare workers often contaminate their hands by touching normal-appearing skin of patients colonized or infected with healthcare-associated pathogens
- Less frequently, healthcare workers contaminate their hands by touching contaminated medical equipment or environmental surfaces near affected patients
- Healthcare-associated pathogens can survive on the hands of healthcare workers for minutes to hours, and can be transmitted to other patients if hands are not adequately cleaned between patients
- Therefore, it is important to clean hands
- before having direct contact with patients
- before performing invasive procedures
- after exposure to body fluids
- after contact with patients
- after contact with patient surroundings
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and more recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) have published guidelines for improving hand hygiene practices in healthcare settings
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