General Terminology used for good Hand hygiene practices as per USFDA
Hand hygiene practices
Antiseptic handwashing
Washing hands with soap and water,or other detergents containing an antiseptic agent.
Antiseptic handrubbing (or handrubbing).
Applying an antiseptic handrub to reduce or inhibit the growth of microorganisms without the need for an exogenous source of water and requiring no rinsing or drying with towels or other devices.
Hand antisepsis/decontamination/degerming.
Reducing or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms by the application of an antiseptic handrub or by performing an antiseptic handwash.
Hand care
Actions to reduce the risk of skin damage or irritation.
Handwashing. Washing hands with plain or antimicrobial soap and water.
Hand cleansing.
Action of performing hand hygiene for the purpose of physically or mechanically removing dirt, organic
material, and/or microorganisms.
Hand disinfection
is extensively used as a term in some parts of the world and can refer to antiseptic handwash, antiseptic
handrubbing, hand antisepsis/decontamination/degerming,handwashing with an antimicrobial soap and water, hygienic hand antisepsis, or hygienic handrub. Since disinfection refers normally to the decontamination of inanimate surfaces and objects.
Hygienic hand antisepsis.
Treatment of hands with either an antiseptic handrub or antiseptic handwash to reduce the transient microbial flora without necessarily affecting the resident skin flora.
Hygienic handrub
Treatment of hands with an antiseptic handrub to reduce the transient flora without necessarily affecting the resident skin flora. These preparations are broad spectrum and fast-acting, and persistent activity is not
necessary.
Hygienic handwash
Treatment of hands with an antiseptic handwash and water to reduce the transient flora without necessarily affecting the resident skin flora. It is broad spectrum, but is usually less efficacious and acts more slowly
than the hygienic handrub.
Surgical hand antisepsis/surgical hand preparation/presurgical hand preparation
Antiseptic handwash or antiseptic handrub performed preoperatively by the surgical team to eliminate transient flora and reduce resident skin flora.
Such antiseptics often have persistent antimicrobial activity.
Surgical handscrub(bing)/presurgical scrub
Surgical handscrub(bing)/presurgical scrub refer to surgical hand preparation with antimicrobial soap and water. Surgical
handrub(bing)
refers to surgical hand preparation with a waterless, alcohol-based handrub.
Hand hygiene products
Alcohol-based (hand) rub.
An alcohol-containing preparation (liquid, gel or foam) designed for application to the hands to inactivate microorganisms and/or temporarily suppress their growth. Such preparations may contain one or more types of alcohol, other active ingredients with excipients and humectants.
Antimicrobial (medicated) soap.
Soap (detergent) containing an antiseptic agent at a concentration sufficient to inactivate microorganisms and/or temporarily suppress their growth. The detergent activity of such soaps may also dislodge transient microorganisms or other contaminants from the skin to facilitate their subsequent removal by water.
Antiseptic agent.
An antimicrobial substance that inactivates microorganisms or inhibits their growth on living tissues.
Examples include alcohols, chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG),chlorine derivatives, iodine, chloroxylenol (PCMX), quaternary ammonium compounds, and triclosan.
Antiseptic hand wipe.
A piece of fabric or paper pre-wetted with an antiseptic used for wiping hands to inactivate and/or remove microbial contamination. They may be considered as an alternative to washing hands with non-antimicrobial soap and water but, because they are not as effective at reducing bacterial counts on HCWs’ hands as alcohol-based handrubs
or washing hands with an antimicrobial soap and water, they are not a substitute for using an alcohol-based handrub or antimicrobial soap.
Detergent (surfactant).
Compounds that possess a cleaning action. They are composed of a hydrophilic and a lipophilic part and can be divided into four groups: anionic, cationic, amphoteric, and non-ionic. Although products used for handwashing or antiseptic handwash in health care represent various types of detergents, the term “soap” will be used to refer to such detergents in these guidelines.
Plain soap
Detergents that contain no added antimicrobial agents, or may contain these solely as preservatives.
Waterless antiseptic agent
An antiseptic agent (liquid, gel or foam) that does not require the use of exogenous water. After application, the individual rubs the hands together until the skin feels dry.
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