Avoiding Use of Artificial Nails in the Perioperative Setting

Do you know what’s on your hands? Everyday your hands are touching various surfaces that may have come in contact with other people, such as ATMs, doorknobs, handrails, counters, pens, and elevator buttons (to name a few). These shared high-contact surfaces may harbor various microorganisms (eg, bacteria, virus) that may be transferred from one person to another and cause infection when introduced through open membranes. That is why hand hygiene is especially important for perioperative nurses. Hand hygiene not only serves to prevent infection transmission to vulnerable populations, but also to decrease the risk of infection and colonization of pathogens to health care workers (HCWs).