#1 way to stop the spread of disease in hospitals? Hand washing. I have never seen a RN and rarely a MD wash their hands before an examination. I also wonder how often that stethoscope is scrubbed, along with the BP cuffs.
I have been thinking about this a lot. So many scientific & medical journals have come out & said simple hand washing would save so many lives & prevent so many infections. HAND WASHING!!!!
Like you said I cannot remember a time that a doctor or nurse has washed up upon entering the room & before touching me. It really is appalling. Also we are often immunity deficient when we go to the doctor making us even more vulnerable to germs & bacteria. Why the hell are we put at risk like this?
Great post!!! Maybe a medical professional can answer your question.
They use a lot of that stuff called Purell to kill the germs but I remember reading that stuff only has a limited positive effect as compared to washing hands.
On the other hand (pun intended) medical people couldn’t possibly wash their hands 40 times a day without their skin cracking which would open them up to all kinds of nasties. I guess using rubber gloves is an option or maybe alternating between the Purell and washing hands being mindful of the patient. Some need to be handled differently for obvious reasons.
I work at a hospital (IT Staff), and I can tell you that hand washing is an almost compulsive behavior among the staff that are in direct contact with patients. Hand sanitizer has replaced soap and water in most applications. PPE and soap and water are mandatory in cases where the patient is in isolation for whatever reason.
I can tell you that after being around some patients (like the guy with MRSA AND drug resistant TB) you feel like dunking your entire body in sanitizer, taking a steaming shower, then toweling off with the purple top wipes they use to sanitize equipment (not for human use). Sometimes I really dislike my job.
Hand sanitizer is more effective than hand washing.
They do wash hands and wear gloves routinely in most states. CA and NY may be exceptions.