Hand Hygiene

So much of our daily activities are centered around the use of our hands. We eat, talk (text), drive, open doors, type, touch equipment and care for others using our hands. It is no wonder why healthcare workers hands seem to always be looked at as a transmission risk. Hand hygiene continues to be the #1 way to prevent the spread of infection in any environment (hospitals, school, home).

In 2007, Mercy implemented the Foam In, Foam Out campaign. This is a slogan we continue to use today. Hand hygiene, either with soap and water or with our automatic hand foam is a culturally accepted practice. Everyone understands that as we go from one environment to another, a hand hygiene opportunity exists; we must wash our hands.

The patient experience also helps us see how well we are doing with Hand Hygiene. It also is proving to give us high marks that match well with what we are observing internally. We encourage our patients to always feel free to:

ASK ANY OF YOUR CAREGIVERS  (physicians, chaplains, nurses, therapists) to wash their hands.