Patient Safety Sentinel

Below are the most common disinfecting products and their contact times, which have been approved for use at Cooper.  CONTACT TIME is the amount of time the disinfectant needs to stay wet on the surface in order to be effective.… Read more.

The CDC encourages the use of alcohol hand sanitizer for routine hand hygiene in healthcare settings, however there are times when soap & water should be used:

• When hands are visibly soiled
• For known or suspect C diff or Norovirus

Lathering of soap and water MUST be a minimum of 15-20 secs and the following steps MUST be followed for proper hand washing per CDC Guidelines : 

• Wet hands with clean running water.

Per CDC, Alcohol Hand Sanitizer is the preferred means to sanitize hands in healthcare settings when hands are not visibly soiled.

How is Hand Hygiene with Alcohol Hand Sanitizer Performed?

• Put enough alcohol hand sanitizer in cupped hands to cover all surfaces of hands.

• Before patient contact
• After patient contact
• Before entering a patient room
• Upon leaving a patient room
• After contact with patient surroundings or items in the patient space
• Between caring for patients in the same room
• Before donning gloves
• Upon removing gloves
• When hands are visibly soiled
• Before a clean or aseptic procedure (drawing blood or starting an IV)
• After body fluid exposure
• After performing a “dirty” task  (emptying a Foley, cleaning a patient)
• After using the restroom
• Before and after eating

Protecting our patients is the top priority at Cooper University Health Care.… Read more.