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Proper Hand Washing for Caregivers1
Amy Simonne2This publication is best viewed as in PDF format. Click here to access the PDF.
Hand washing is an important way to reduce the fecal-oral transfer of germs that cause diseases. Young children and frail elders have less ability to fight germs than others. As a caregiver you can help reduce the risk of diseases that can be transmitted in a crowded environment by using proper hand washing procedures.
Figure 1. Remove jewelry, except for plain wedding band.
Figure 2. Use soap and running water.
Figure 3. Lather hands and wrists with soap for 20 seconds. (Sing the Happy Birthday song twice.)
Figure 4. Wash the backs of hands and wrists, between fingers, and under fingernails using a nailbrush.
Figure 5. Rinse your hands and wrists with running water.
Figure 6. Use a paper towel to turn off the water. Dry hands and wrists with clean, disposable paper towels. If you use hand sanitizer, apply it now. Wash your hands before:
Wash your hands after:
- Eating and preparing foods
- Touching serving utensils
- Preparing formula for infants
- Handling ready to eat foods
- Serving foods
- Visiting the restroom
- Covering your nose or mouth when you cough or sneeze
- Working with raw foods
- Changing diapers
- Engaging in activities outdoors
- Doing other activities that dirty your hand
Footnotes
1. This document is FCS8782-Eng, one of a series of the Family Youth and Community Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date November 2005. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.2. Amy Simonne, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.
Copyright Information
This document is copyrighted by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) for the people of the State of Florida. UF/IFAS retains all rights under all conventions, but permits free reproduction by all agents and offices of the Cooperative Extension Service and the people of the State of Florida. Permission is granted to others to use these materials in part or in full for educational purposes, provided that full credit is given to the UF/IFAS, citing the publication, its source, and date of publication.