Hand washing policy (Neonatal Guidelines)

Ensure that you -

• Remove watches and all jewellery (excluding a plain wedding band)
• Remove false nails and nail varnish
• Cover open wounds on your hands
• Roll up your sleeves if they are covering your forearms

wash all parts of hands, at least to mid-forearm, for a minimum 15 seconds

• guidelines for appropriate washing are on the walls near sinks
• a short mpeg film can be viewed on the infection control website
• dry with paper towels, for sterile procedure use sterile towel from dressing pack
• take care not to recontaminate hands on sinks, taps or waste disposal bins (turn off taps with elbows and open bins with foot pedal).

• Hand hygiene must be practised-
  • before and after patient contact
  • if hands are removed from the incubator, even temporarily
• this can be with alcohol gel, unless hands are visibly soiled when soap and water must be used
• if gloves are worn the same procedures apply; gloves protect you not the patient.

IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION USE OF ALCOHOL HAND GEL IS AN EFFECTIVE MEASURE

• Equipment around the neonate is easily contaminated e.g. incubator handles, controls on ventilators, monitors, infusion pumps, USS machine
• Wiping them with a suitable wipe on leaving the cot-side should become second nature.