File on Hygiene
Your colleague/roommate/family member has hurt himself. Now what?
First, see how serious the (cut) wound is based on the length of the cut and the nature of the bleeding.
Not sure? Call for medical help!
Is it a smaller home, garden and kitchen cut? Then you can get started with your first aid kit.
Proper care starts with yourself, with good hand hygiene!
Before you start wound care, it is best (if possible!) to follow these steps:
- If possible, take off jewelry
- Always wash your hands with liquid soap
What is the proper method to wash hands correctly?
- Moisten the hands with water and take a sufficient amount of liquid soap
- Rub the palms together
- Rub the right palm over the back of the left hand and vice versa
- Rub the hands together with the fingers of both hands between each other
- Bring the back of the fingers into the other palm and rub the fingers back and forth against this palm
- Don't forget the thumbs!
- Rub the fingertips of each hand into the palm of the other in a circular motion
- Don't forget the wrists
- Rinse the hands and wrists with running water
- Dry the hands thoroughly, not forgetting the skin between the fingers.
After washing your hands, you can proceed to taking care of the wound.
Rinse the wound with clean water and, if necessary, a disinfectant liquid. You can also let it bleed for a while so the wound can clean itself.
To prevent dirt and bacteria from infecting the wound, apply a plaster.
Which plaster you should choose depends on the type of wound, the size of the wound and the environment (if the patient often comes into contact with water, you should use a plaster from our Universal range, for example).
Always choose a plaster that covers the wound completely. Change the plaster daily or more often if it is dirty.
A few more tips:
After (accidental) contact with body fluids, blood or mucous membranes, wash hands again with liquid soap.
After washing, disinfect the hands as well!
To dry the hands, preferably use a disposable towel.
If this is not possible, use a fresh towel (to be changed daily).
Basic requirements for good hand hygiene:
- Nails cut short and clean.
- No artificial nails or nail polish
- Short sleeves
- Hands and forearms without jewelry or wristwatches
- Got a wound? Make sure it is covered!
