October 12, promotes alcohol based gel to complete the hygiene of hands.

Spain, 2011-November The functional unit of management of risks of the Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre Madrid promotes the use of alcoholic solutions in the washing of hands among professionals of the health centre, as part of the safety of our patients in their care make a correct hygiene of hands has revealed a clear decrease in hospital infections and thusa lowest rate of mortality and morbidity.

The World Health Organization also recommends not be bracelets, rings and watches, and comply with the five correct steps of this hygiene during care to a patient, which are: applied alcohol gel before contact with the patient, previously with a sterile task, after all risk of exposure to body fluidsSubsequently the care of the patient and after contact with the environment. If all professionals meet these recommendations, the rate of infection hospital-IRAS (infection associated with healthcare) decreases by 50%.

Also found that the hygiene of hands with SOAP and water does not completely eliminate the presence of bacteria and therefore it is better to replace it with an alcohol gel that has shown greater efficiency and fewer dermatitis. To facilitate this, on 12 October it has individual dispensers in guest rooms, one per patient. On the other hand, the members of the functional unit of risks have developed other initiatives with the clear objective of improving the safety of patients.

Among these initiatives are mainly: the identification of the patient by identifying bracelets, implantation of a list of preoperative verification, correct prescription of medication and adequate identification, prevention of falls and ulcers by pressure or dissemination of the pamphlet “improve together” – which is intended to assist patients – and recently the development of a regular broadcast bulletin along with educational lectures in the areas most critical for wider dissemination and raising awareness among professionals.

The functional unit of management of risks of Hospital 12 de Octubre was created six years ago at the urging of the health risks of the Department of Health Regional Observatory and under the coordination of the unit of Hospital quality. It consists of representatives of the medical direction and nursing and professionals of different services of the Hospital.