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Tip of the week: Block alcohol foam dispensers
Infection Control Monitor, April 20, 2007
There are some instances where staff should not use alcohol-based hand sanitizers, but should instead wash their hands with soap and water. That's because there are viruses and bacteria that these sanitizers can't kill.
When healthcare workers identify a norovirus or Clostridium difficile (C. diff.) patient, his hospital's policy is to tape off the alcohol foam dispenser outside the door of the patient's room so that staff members can't squirt foam from it, says Scott Reynolds, IC technologist at the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Mountain Home, TN.
The tape also serves as a visible reminder to staff members to instead wash their hands using more traditional means. In these instances, healthcare workers should follow any virus- or bacteria-specific handwashing recommendations.
To learn more about when to use alcohol-based sanitizers, go to www.hcpro.com/content/68913.cfm. The cost is $10. Briefings on Infection Control subscribers received this story with their subscriptions.
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