Mastering Infection Control: Your Ultimate Guide to Hand Hygiene, PPE, and Aseptic Techniques
Mastering infection control
Every patient deserves safe care, and every nurse has the power to make that happen. It starts with one simple act: infection control.
Why It Matters: Infection control isn’t just about rules; it’s about saving lives—both your patients' and your own.
This blog will break down key infection control skills, with practical tips and fun ways for new nurses and NCLEX students to master them.
Handwashing technique using Who Handwashing technique
The Foundation of Infection Control – Hand Hygiene
"Did you know that effective handwashing can prevent nearly 30% of healthcare-associated infections?"
The WHO Technique of how to wash hands
View the step-by-step handwashing guide with visual cues above
The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a specific technique for proper hand hygiene that is crucial in preventing the spread of infections. The WHO's recommended hand hygiene technique, often called the "WHO 6-Step Hand Hygiene Technique" or "WHO Hand Washing Technique," is designed to ensure thorough cleaning of all parts of the hand
The WHO Technique of how to wash hands
Here are the 6 steps of the WHO hand hygiene technique:
1. Palm to Palm: Rub palms together to spread the hand sanitizer or soap.
2. Back of Hands: Rub the back of each hand with the palm of the other hand.
3. Palm to Palm with Fingers Interlaced: Interlace your fingers and rub palm to palm.
4. Back of Fingers to Opposing Palms: Rub the backs of fingers against the opposing palm with fingers interlocked.
5. Rotational Rubbing of Thumbs: Rotationally rub each thumb clasped in the opposite hand.
6. Rotational Rubbing of Fingertips: Rub fingertips rotationally in the opposite palm.
The entire process should take about 20-30 seconds. Helps if you sing “Happy Birthday” to know you have done 20-30 seconds. This technique ensures that all surfaces of the hands are cleaned thoroughly, including often-missed areas like between fingers, thumb sides, and fingertips. Recommended for both soap and water and alcohol based hand sanitizers.
Questions to think about:
Which of the following situations would you wash your hands while caring for patients?
Entering the room and preparing to do an assessment of the patient
Taking a clean dressing off the surgical wound
Opening the Foley catheter drain to empty urine for the end of the shift. No urine touched you.
Gave medication orally to a patient with C-diff. While they took the medication, you put your hands on the over-bed table.
Going to get medications for the next patient after exiting a patient's room with C-diff Did not wash hands when leaving.
Which of these stumped you? Put a comment in the blog comments Maybe someone else got confused too.
PPE applied on a Nurse including a face shield/guard
Proper PPE Use – Your Armor Against Infections
Why PPE Matters: PPE protects both the nurse and the patient.
Donning and Doffing Made Simple:
Remember: "Gown, Mask, Goggles, Gloves" for donning and the reverse for doffing.
The standard mnemonic for the correct sequence of donning and doffing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is DRSABCD.
For Donning PPE (putting on):
D - Designated area
R - Respirator or mask
S - Sanitize hands
A - Apron or gown
B - Boots or shoe covers
C - Gloves
D - Dress completely, do final checks
For Doffing PPE (taking off):
D - Designated clean area
R - Remove gloves carefully
S - Sanitize hands
A - Apron or gown
B - Boots
C - Clean mask/respirator
D - Discard PPE safely, sanitize hands again
This mnemonic helps healthcare workers and others remember the correct, safe sequence for putting on and removing protective equipment to minimize the risk of contamination.
The key principles are to:
Start in a designated area
Put on and remove items systematically
Sanitize hands multiple times
Avoid cross-contamination
Ensure safe disposal of used PPE
Remember to avoid common mistakes, like touching the outside of gloves when removing them.
What would you do if you run out of PPE? Share your creative solutions or know tell us what your escalation protocols are.
Interactive Simulation:
Here is the link to a short video on proper PPE techniques: Donning and Doffing PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) Nursing Skills
Let's make it a contest to record yourself practicing the sequence and post your attempts with the hashtag #PPEPerfect #oneononetips.
Nurse dressed in gown and gloves while drawing labs - blood
Aseptic Techniques – Preventing Contamination Like a Pro
What Is Asepsis? "It's like creating a safety bubble around your patient.”
Core Practices:
Sterile field setup basics: What to touch and what not to touch.
Key procedures: Catheter insertions, dressing changes, and IV starts.
Interactive Scenario: Here is a video on the sterile field: https://youtu.be/_aCf0HBVO_g?si=5V2uiKbsLdR2r_22
Test yourself: "What would you do next?"
When opening the sterile saline for trach care the saline drops on the sterile drape
When cathing a patient, the nurse puts on one sterile glove while trying to put on the second. The patient becomes confused and swings her leg into the glove being put on.
When picking up the gauze from the sterile field, the nurse places her other hand on the table.
Be sure to get your downloadable checklist for aseptic techniques at work.
Patient Story 1: The Power of Hand Hygiene in Preventing Surgical Infections
Scenario:
Mr. Thomas, a 67-year-old recovering from hip replacement surgery, was at high risk for infections due to his age and medical history. The nursing team strictly adhered to hand hygiene protocols during his post-operative care before and after every interaction. They also educated Mr. Thomas and his family about the importance of proper handwashing to prevent surgical site infections.
Outcome:
One day, a nurse noticed Mr. Thomas’s dressing appeared slightly damp. Because of her infection control training, she immediately replaced the dressing under aseptic conditions. Lab results later revealed that bacteria had been present on the dressing—however, no infection developed due to the meticulous hand hygiene and aseptic technique. Mr. Thomas fully recovered, crediting the nursing team's diligence and infection prevention measures.
Lesson:
Hand hygiene and aseptic techniques can stop pathogens in their tracks, reducing the risk of life-threatening infections.
Using fingers to clean in between each finger
Patient Story 2: Proper PPE Saves the Day in an Outbreak
Scenario:
During a norovirus outbreak in a long-term care facility, 82-year-old Mrs. Green was one of the few residents who didn’t get sick. The nursing staff, aware of the highly contagious nature of the virus, implemented strict PPE protocols. Staff wore gloves and gowns during care and followed proper donning and doffing procedures to prevent cross-contamination between patients.
Outcome:
While many residents fell ill, Mrs. Green’s risk was minimized thanks to the rigorous use of PPE and environmental cleaning. The staff's infection control practices protected Mrs. Green and helped contain the outbreak quickly, ensuring fewer residents were affected.
Lesson:
Proper PPE use and strict adherence to infection control measures can protect vulnerable patients and prevent the spread of contagious illnesses.
Lab technician working lab samples dressed in gown, gloves and googles.
Reflection for New Nurses and NCLEX Students:
Infection control isn’t just a checklist—it’s a lifesaving practice.
These stories highlight how small, consistent actions like hand hygiene and proper PPE use can significantly impact patient outcomes.
Ask yourself: Are you prepared to prioritize infection control in your nursing practice?
Wrapping It All Up – Infection Control for the Win
Recap: Remember the three pillars: hand hygiene, PPE, and aseptic technique.
Be sure to have downloaded your handwashing and aseptic checklist. Share your infection control tips or challenges in the comments.
Remember: "By mastering infection control, you’re not just protecting patients—you’re becoming a guardian of health.”
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going!
We’d love to hear from you! Feel free to leave your comments or questions below—let’s make this a conversation!
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Comment below!
I invite my readers to join a discussion in the blog comment section to share tips and support each other in developing this essential skill.
Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments:
What situations would call for you to wash your hands when interacting with patients?
What would you do if you run out of PPE? Share your creative solutions or know tell us what your escalation protocols are.
Any tips or stories you'd like to share with your fellow new nurses?
Ready to embark on this learning journey? Let's make this learning experience interactive and fun!
Share your answers in the blog comments to learn from each other.
Don’t forget to follow me on my Instagram account @nclex_one_on_one_tutoring and share it with your colleagues!
