Ideas That Work: Hygiene On Hand

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Include Hand Sanitizer in IV Kits


hand sanitizer CLOSE BY AND CONVENIENTKeep pump bottles of hand sanitizer in your IV kit baskets.

HYGIENE ON HAND
Include Hand Sanitizer in IV Kits

Our nurses have found it convenient to keep pump bottles of hand sanitizer in their IV kit baskets, so they can disinfect their digits without having to leave patients' bedsides both before and after they start an IV. Here's how it works:

  • Before the IV. The nurse primes the IV, sets out her supplies, applies the tourniquet and locates the vein. Then she can sanitize her hands and put on gloves without having to interrupt the process by getting up and going to the dispenser or sink before starting the IV. Our nurses find it helpful to cleanse their hands while the skin prep is drying, because hand cleaning and prep drying take about the same amount of time.
  • After the IV. After the nurse secures the IV, turns it on and disposes of her sharps, she sanitizes her hands again before proceeding with other tasks.

Joyce Mackler, RN, MSN
Seaford Endoscopy Center
Seaford, Del.
[email protected]

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