Hand-washing patterns and infection control in the accident and emergency department

Abstract

Hand-washing as a means of preventing nosocomial infection was first recognized and applied by Semmelweiss last century. More recently the transmission of organisms by the hands of doctors, nurses and other personnel has been well recognized in causing infection (Steers & Mallison, 1975). It is generally considered that hand-washing is the single most important procedure in the prevention of these infections and several bodies have recommended that hand-washing should be performed by personnel involved with patients before and after patient contact (AHA, 1974). These recommendations should particularly apply in the accident and emergency department where both infected and non-infected wounds, skin infections and other transmissible disease such as hepatitis are frequently seen. In view of this we have mounted a study in our accident and emergency department to assess the frequency of hand-washing and its possible role in infection.