Hospital Beatriz Ângelo (HBA) celebrated on May 5 the Global Handwashing Day, joining the initiative of the World Health Organization. Handwashing is one of the most important factors of infection control and it is of everyone’s responsibility. In 2015, in the scope of a National Campaign for Infection Control Basic Precautions, HBA achieved numbers above the national average in what concerns the professionals’ adherence to handwashing, reflecting a strong commitment of the hospital to the quality of the healthcare provided and the safety of patients. Therefore, as patient or visitor, we ask you before contact to use the blue-green alcohol solution available at the wall near the patient’s bed and let the hands air dry, avoiding the eyes. When the patient is in isolation, the visitor should wash his hands with special soap (pink one) and water, available in the very room, drying them with paper towels. Additional isolation rules must be observed. Always wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet and dry them with paper towels. Help us to deliver safer healthcare. HBA celebrated the day with several internal initiatives aiming to alert professionals for adequate handwashing, following the guidelines of WHO, which elected the surgical area as focal point of the present campaign, for the purpose of reducing the rate of infection associated to interventions.
