Hand Hygiene in Anaesthetic Practice

Importance of Hand Hygiene

Hand-mediated transmission is the single most important vector for healthcare-associated infections in anaesthetic practice, emphasizing the need for strict hand hygiene protocols, as recommended by the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland 1, 2, 6
The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland explicitly states that anaesthetists must ensure good hand hygiene becomes an indispensable part of their clinical culture, highlighting its foundational role in infection control 3, 4, 5, 1
98% of anaesthetists' contact with patients' blood could be prevented by routine use of gloves, but gloves themselves become vectors without proper hand hygiene, underscoring the importance of combining glove use with hand hygiene practices 1, 7

At the start of every clinical session, wash hands with liquid soap and water, as a fundamental step in preventing the spread of infections 1, 7, 2
Immediately before every episode of direct patient contact, use antimicrobial hand rub if hands are not visibly soiled, to effectively reduce pathogen transfer 1, 2, 6
Between patients or activities, antimicrobial hand rub is effective and quicker than washing, offering a practical solution for busy clinical environments 1, 7
When hands are visibly soiled or potentially contaminated, they must be washed with soap and water, to prevent the spread of infectious agents 1, 7, 2
After removing gloves, hands must be washed or decontaminated, even after glove use, to prevent residual contamination 1, 7

Ensure the whole hand and fingers, particularly the tips, are exposed to the hand rub, to guarantee comprehensive decontamination 1, 7, 2
Remove all watches and jewellery, including dress rings and wrist adornments, at the beginning of each clinical session before regular hand decontamination begins, to prevent potential reservoirs of infection 1, 7, 2
Cover cuts and abrasions with waterproof dressings, changed as appropriate, to protect against infection and contamination 1, 7, 2

Antimicrobial hand rub is NOT effective in preventing cross-infection with Clostridium difficile, making soap and water washing mandatory in these cases, to ensure proper infection control 1, 7, 2
Gloves can actually spread infection between patients if used incorrectly without proper hand hygiene, highlighting the need for careful glove use and hand hygiene practices 1, 7, 6

Standard precautions, maximal barrier precautions for central lines, and equipment decontamination all depend on proper hand hygiene as their foundation, emphasizing its critical role in comprehensive infection control strategies 8, 2, 5
Staff often neglect hand hygiene when caring for patients, despite consistent advice and overwhelming evidence, making personal vigilance and adherence to hand hygiene protocols crucial 1, 2, 6