Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings: recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force.
The Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings provides health-care workers (HCWs) with a review of data regarding handwashing and hand antisepsis in health-care settings. In addition, it provides specific recommendations to promote improved hand-hygiene practices and reduce transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to patients and personnel in health-care settings. This report reviews studies published since the 1985 CDC guideline (Garner JS, Favero MS. CDC guideline for handwashing and hospital environmental control, 1985. Infect Control 1986;7:231-43) and the 1995 APIC guideline (Larson EL, APIC Guidelines Committee. APIC guideline for handwashing and hand antisepsis in health care settings. Am J Infect Control 1995;23:251-69) were issued and provides an in-depth review of hand-hygiene practices of HCWs, levels of adherence of personnel to recommended handwashing practices, and factors adversely affecting adherence. New studies of the in vivo efficacy of alcohol-based hand rubs and the low incidence of dermatitis associated with their use are reviewed. Recent studies demonstrating the value of multidisciplinary hand-hygiene promotion programs and the potential role of alcohol-based hand rubs in improving hand-hygiene practices are summarized. Recommendations concerning related issues (e.g., the use of surgical hand antiseptics, hand lotions or creams, and wearing of artificial fingernails) are also included.
Boyce
John M
JM
Hospital of Saint Raphael, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Pittet
Didier
D
D000438:Alcohols; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D002710:Chlorhexidine; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact; D006225:Hand; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000592:standards; D006582:Hexachlorophene; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D017053:Infection Control / Q000592:standards*; D007239:Infections / Q000635:transmission; D007455:Iodine; D007466:Iodophors; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D012915:Soaps; D014260:Triclosan; D014992:Xylenes
D000438:Alcohols; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D007466:Iodophors; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D012915:Soaps; D014992:Xylenes; D014260:Triclosan; D007455:Iodine; D006582:Hexachlorophene; D002710:Chlorhexidine