Canham Leslie
Leslie Canham and Associates, USA.
Dent Assist. 2011 Jan-Feb;80(1):42-6.
A dental health care worker (DHCW) has an obligation to prevent the spread of health care associated infections. Adhering to proper hand hygiene procedures, selecting appropriate hand hygiene products and the use of gloves are all important elements of infection control. The CDC Guidelines for Hand Hygiene state that improved hand hygiene practices can reduce transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to patients and personnel in health care settings. DHCWs must also protect themselves by recognizing pitfalls such as irritants or allergies that may pose obstacles to proper hand hygiene. Occupational irritants and allergies can be caused by frequent hand washing, exposure to hand hygiene products, exposure to chemicals and shear forces associated with wearing or removing gloves. Since the primary defense against infection and transmission of pathogens is healthy, unbroken skin, DHCWs must take steps to ensure that their skin remains healthy and intact. These steps include evaluating different types of hand hygiene products, lotions and gloves for the best compatibility. If the DHCW sees a breakdown of his or her skin barrier, steps should be taken to determine the cause and remedy. Remedies can include the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers containing emollients and moisturizers and regular use of a medical grade hand lotion. The bottom line: healthy skin protects you at work and at home. Selection and use of appropriate hand hygiene products, including moisturizers, are an essential part ofa dental office infection control program. My coworker lost the use of her thumb for several months due to complications of a staph infection. She was unable to work and found even simple tasks such as closing a button hard to do. Think of how difficult your work would be if something happened to your hands. Injury, irritation or allergies could alter your ability to work or even perform routine tasks. Our hands provide us with the ability to work in clinical dentistry. It makes good sense to protect your hands, your most valuable tools.
牙科保健工作者（DHCW）有责任预防医疗保健相关感染的传播。坚持正确的手部卫生程序、选择合适的手部卫生产品以及使用手套都是感染控制的重要要素。美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）的手部卫生指南指出，改进手部卫生习惯可以减少医疗保健环境中致病微生物向患者和工作人员的传播。DHCW还必须通过识别可能对手部卫生造成障碍的陷阱（如刺激物或过敏）来保护自己。职业性刺激和过敏可能由频繁洗手、接触手部卫生产品、接触化学物质以及与佩戴或摘除手套相关的剪切力引起。由于抵御感染和病原体传播的主要防线是健康、未破损的皮肤，DHCW必须采取措施确保其皮肤保持健康和完整。这些措施包括评估不同类型的手部卫生产品、乳液和手套，以实现最佳兼容性。如果DHCW发现其皮肤屏障出现破损，应采取措施确定原因并加以补救。补救措施可以包括使用含有润肤剂和保湿剂的酒精基洗手液，并定期使用医用级护手霜。底线是：健康的皮肤在工作和生活中都能保护你。选择和使用合适的手部卫生产品，包括保湿剂，是牙科诊所感染控制计划的重要组成部分。我的同事因葡萄球菌感染的并发症而失去了拇指的功能几个月。她无法工作，甚至发现诸如扣纽扣这样的简单任务都很难完成。想想如果你的手出了问题，你的工作会有多困难。受伤、刺激或过敏可能会改变你工作甚至执行日常任务的能力。我们的手使我们能够从事临床牙科工作。保护好你的手，你最宝贵的工具，这是很有意义的。
