title: Hand washing.
abstract: What could be more basic than the simple act of washing your hands? Children at junior school are taught to do it. Yet research tends to point to the lack of hand washing as being a major contributor to hospital acquired infection. I have summarised this piece by Elizabeth Pinney which takes us right back to the 18th century--and bang up to date! Reflect on your practices and that of your colleagues before you tell me this is old news.
authors.affiliation: Wordsley Hospital, Stowbridge.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pinney
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006801:Humans; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013527:Perioperative Nursing