Wash Your Hands. You Have Skin in the Game

Do you have skin in the game?
Research estimates that at least 1 million deaths worldwide could be prevented each year if everyone washed their hands regularly.
Hands are the way 80 percent of germs in our healthcare environment are spread.
Each month, 25 children develop infections while staying at Cincinnati Children's. These source of many of these infections may be the hands of their care providers.
Norovirus, the same kind of stomach bug that has broken out on cruise ships, can survive on surface for days - even weeks. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not work against norovirus.
Now, here's a bit of bathroom chalkboard trivia: Did you know researchers have found that as many as one-third of women and two-thirds of men will leave a restroom without washing their hands? The potential for transmitting disease-causing germs is enormous.
If you have a respiratory virus or flu, you can spread germs just by coughing, sneezing or talking. Even if you're not sick, but you touch infected surfaces and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth, you can be infected.
The most common place to carry staph bacteria is in your nose. So make an effort to avoid touching your face. And if you do, make sure you wash your hands.
Did you know that 95 percent of cell phones carry contagious staph bacteria, E. coli and a host of other germs?
Hand hygiene is essential.
Ready for some good news? Hand washing has been proven to reduce sick days by as much as 30 percent. So washing your hands can actually increase productivity in the workplace.
Did you ever wonder if you could be the source of illness for your family? The risk is certainly lower if you wash your hands often.
It's your responsibility as a Cincinnati Children's employee to understand why good hand hygiene is so important.
Show that you respect your patients, your colleagues, your family and yourself by practicing good hand hygiene all the time.
You do have skin in the game.