Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. HANDWASHING POLICY: All home healthcare personnel will wash their hands before and after contact with each patient and any time their hands become soiled. All home healthcare personnel will carry antiseptic towelettes or bactericidal cleanser for those homes that do not have adequate supplies or if a sink area is judged "too contaminated" for use. GENERAL GUIDELINES: Hands should be washed: 1. Before providing patient care, regardless of whether gloves are worn. 2. Hands are visibly soiled. 3. When gloves are removed at the end of treatment. 4. Between body care sites on the patient. For example, between trach care and foot care. 5. After the use of toileted facilities. 6. After contact with any body secretions. 7. May use antibacterial gel between glove changes for patient’s with multiple wounds. 8. If C-DIFF infection is present, the staff must wash their hands with water, not Gel. 9. After known or suspected exposure to Clostridium difficile if your community is experiencing an outbreak or higher endemic rates 10. After known or suspected exposure to patients with infectious diarrhea during norovirus outbreak 11. If exposure to Bacillus anthracis is suspected or proven 12. Before/after eating Use an Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer: For everything else RESPONSIBLE PERSONNEL: All home healthcare personnel EQUIPMENT: Soap, antiseptic towelettes/wipes, or bactericidal cleanser, paper towels PROCEDURE: 1. Bring soap, paper towels to household sink. 2. Turn on water. Adjust temperature. Water should be warm and comfortable to the touch. 3. Position hands and wrists under running water. Keep fingers pointed downward over sink. 4. Soap hands to wrist area. Do not touch sink. Keep hands and wrist below elbow level. Scrub each hand with friction covering all surfaces for at least 20 seconds. 5. Rinse hands thoroughly by holding them under running water. Unrinsed soap may cause irritation. 6. Using paper towel, dry wrists and hands, working from wrist area to fingertips. 7. Turn off faucet with paper towel. Discard paper towel in waste receptacle. 8. If it is determined that antiseptic towelettes or bactericidal will be used instead of soap/water and paper towels, it is recommended that hands shall be washed with soap and running water as soon as feasible. When using alcohol-based hand sanitizer: Put product on hands and rub hands together Cover all surfaces until hands feel dry This should take around 20 seconds Home Health Agency Nursing Care & Procedures K-12