Handwashing
February 2009

INDIANA: Kids get hand-washing tips
14.feb.09
Chronicle-Tribune
Brett Wallace
http://www.chronicle-tribune.com/articles/2009/02/14/news/doc49963f4f965e6582724461.txt
One of the lessons at Riverview Elementary School on Friday was fairly simple. It was about soap and water.
In the face of what pediatricians say has been an overrun of infectious disease this winter, Marion General Hospital staff hoped to show the youngsters the proper way to wash their hands, using a few unusual lessons. It was an initiative spearheaded by the hospital’s Child Health and Safety Coalition.
Terri Couse, the community and outreach coordinator for the hospital’s department of public relations and marketing, was one staff member on site.
She demonstrated for Mrs. Yeakle’s kindergarten class how to scrub their hands.
“Rub it in real good,” she said.
Couse said the goal is to teach kids how to prevent disease, be healthy and keep their hands clean.
“That’s the way germs are spread,” she told them.
Austin Sheward, a student in the class, said he learned that washing hands must include soap and water.
“Always make sure you use warm water, not cold water,” he said. (temperature doesn’t matter – dp)
After the kids scrubbed and dried, the hospital workers inspected the hands under a black light, showing the kids the spots where there were still germs.
Kindergarten teacher Elaine Berry said the lesson will definitely help the kids better understand the importance of hand-washing.

UK: Lack of evidence that hand washing is observed in primary care, says study
13.feb.09
Nursing Times
Richard Staines
http://www.nursingtimes.net/news/breakingnews/2009/02/lack_of_evidence_that_hand_washing_is_observed_in_primary_care_says_study.html
There is lack of evidence that sufficient hand washing procedures are being carried out in primary care trusts, according to a study.
Researchers searched through medical journals looking for studies assessing whether hand washing was occurring in primary care in the UK.
Key words used in the search included hand washing, hand cleansing, hand hygiene, hand decontamination and primary care.
They found that hand washing and hand cleansing are strongly promoted, yet evidence for current hand washing policy is weak, authors said.
Authors wrote: 'Furthermore, current guidelines are based on expert opinion with little robust evidence of efficacy in primary care.
There is an urgent need to undertake methodologically sound studies of handwashing techniques for use in the ever expanding scope primary care practice.'