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Hand hygiene is one of the most important components to preventing hospital acquired infections.   Everyday millions of patients are affected by the care we provide on a daily basis.  To provide adequate hand hygiene and education.
- Education  is an important concept to staying up to date with current skills.
- Researching evidence based practice.  By staying current on the latest information regarding the best nurse practices with in the field of healthcare.

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1. Use the "All hands on deck" reminder. This reinforces the importance of hand hygiene throughout the unit when entering and exiting a patients rooms.

2. Following your facilities protocol on hand hygiene and constant hand washing.

3.Using resources such as the World Health Organizations (WHO) guidelines for the 5 moments of hand hygiene. Clean your hands
1. before touching the patient.
2.before clean/aseptic procedures.
3.after body fluid exposure
4.after touching a patient
5. after touching a patients surroundings

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What is the nurses current role?
-Nurses play a vital role in the spread and control of infections throughout the medical facility.  As a nurse the contact that made with patients on a constant basis can lead to major complications in  patients healing time if the spread of infection is not controlled.

Nurses play a major role in education.  By educating the patient and family members on the importance of hand hygiene it can also help with stopping the spread of infection and delayed wound healing.  By setting a good example and being a constant reminder to other peers and colleges nurses can and do help to improve and reduce the risk of HAIs.

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-The Center of Disease Control and Prevention states that by performing proper hand hygiene it reduces the risk of spreading potential deadly germs to patients and colonization and infection in health care provider that they have acquired from other patients (Center of Disease Control and Prevention, 2016).

At What Cost?
-Every year millions of Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) and deaths are reported in the United States.  Most of these HAIs are preventable due to the fact that they are caused by improper hand hygiene.  Patients are directly effected by improper hand hygiene when health care workers such as physicians, nurses, and other member on the health care setting do not follow protocol in routine things such as these. This not only puts patients at risk, but delays and derails the improvement of healing in seriously ill patients. The concern for patients safety and well being, as well as the increase in financial cost annually have bought attention and reassessment to protocol to the way hospital preform hand hygiene (American Journal of Critical Care, 2015).

What to do?
-" Nosocomial infections are a major challenge to the health-care system and are associated with significant mortality, morbidity and an economic burden. Hand hygiene (HH), i.e. hand washing with water and detergent and/or the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, is the single most important method of preventing nosocomial infections and compliance with effective HH practices is recognized as the most important strategy for reducing the transmission of pathogens in health care settings. Unfortunately, numerous studies have shown that adherence to HH recommendations remains low and that improvement efforts frequently lack sustainability" (Journal of Infection and Public Health, 2013).

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What is the problem?
- An increase in hospital acquired infections in hospitalized patients.

Who is affected?
-Hospitalized patients, especially those with extended stay like ICU.

How?
-Improper hand hygiene. Providers and other healthcare worker within facilities that do not properly wash hands when interacting with patients.

Where?
-All over the U.S in hospital settings

Why?
-Provider and health care workers not following protocol when it comes to hand hygiene.

-Healthcare workers not properly washing hands in between patient care.