Orientating Nurses to General Practice - General Practice Queensland

the palms and tops of the hands, and around the thumbs. Do this foraround 10-15 seconds (or longer if hands appear dirty)• Rinse all surfaces of the hands well, using plenty of running water(removing all of the soap prevents skin irritation from residualchemical)• Pat hands dry carefully with a paper towel (rubbing with paper towelcan damage the skin)• Use the paper towel to turn off the tap to avoid contaminating cleanhands• Use moisturiser following hand washing to replace some of the oilsremoved from the skin surface during washing (micro-organismsadhere more readily to dry, cracked skin)Cleaning the practice environmentRegular and conscientious cleaning of the practice assists in infection controland maintains a pleasant surrounding for both patients and staff.Routine cleaning with detergent and water is sufficient for almost all surfaces.Damp wiping of surfaces and damp mopping of smooth floors is the preferredmethod as dry dusting and sweeping will cause airborne bacteria levels torise.Written protocols for in house staff and/or external cleaning contractorsshould be documented.Staff training and an understanding of Standard Precautions such as how toremove sharps are essential for effective decontamination and cleaning of thepractice environment.A daily cleaning routine should include:• All bench tops, trolleys, examination and treatment couches, protectiveeyewear, reusable aprons, sinks, floors, toilets, bathrooms, foodhandling and eating areas.Weekly routine should include:• Waiting room and office furniture, waiting room toys.Other factors to consider:• Alcohols have an important role in skin disinfection but are notrecommended for surface cleaning in general practice.• Disinfectants can be problematic and are not usually a necessary partof routine cleaning.• The practice should not use cleaning agents that could be toxic to theuser and damaging to the surfaces, such as products containing bleachor glutaraldehyde.31