What's On News May 2019 Clean hands are safe hands

News

Clean hands are safe hands

Tuesday 21 May 2019

Mater has launched our new hand hygiene program—Clean hands are safe hands.

Clean hands are critical in reducing the spread of infection and illness and protecting our patients and each other.

Our program supports Mater staff to follow good hand hygiene practices and educates our Mater visitors on the importance of cleaning their hands before and after their visit.

Good hand hygiene at Mater is characterised by our staff who have:

• bare hands and arms—ensuring we do not have any clothing, jewellery or nail varnish below the elbows
• clean hands—using hand sanitiser or soap and following correct hand cleaning techniques
• helping hands—having helpful conversations with colleagues and supporting them to practise hand hygiene.

At Mater, we believe it’s ok to ask anyone to clean their hands:

• It’s ok for patients and families to ask us if we’ve cleaned our hands—we want them to feel safe here at Mater.

• It’s ok to ask a colleague if they’ve cleaned their hands and for our colleagues to ask us to do so—we’re working together to look out for the welfare of our patients.