Hand Washing Technology
Do healthcare workers always wash their hands? Is asking enough to know if their telling the truth? There is a new and latest technology that reminds a healthcare worker to wash their hands.
Hospitals are trying to reduce the amount of infections that are being passed along with good hand washing skills. To prevent infection there is now a new machine being placed in hospitals, it’s known as the Soap-sniffing Technology. The thought behind this machine is to lower the amount of infections that are being passed from the hands onto the patients. If good hand washing skills would be put in effect then hospitals could save millions of dollars.
How would this machine “remind” staff to wash their hands? Under a dispenser filled with gel sanitizer or soap is a little sensor which activates a wireless signal to the employee badge. After the employee has washed their hands a little light will light up green on the badge. If the employee has not washed their hands or too much time has passed that light up will light up red on the employee badge. The badge then will vibrate reminding the employee to wash their hands.
It’s understandable that maybe a healthcare worker could get busy and forget to wash their hands. Maybe they came from a family that good hand hygiene wasn’t required. Either way thinking of all the germs and bacteria that can be transferred from one hand to a patient is awful.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090603142002.htm