Infection, Prevention, Control: why is bare below the elbows important

Hand washing

 

The best infection prevention and control (IPC) practice is for all clinicians to be ‘bare below the elbows’ during their shift and this is the standard set by the Department of Health.

It is widely acknowledged that being bare below the elbows reduces the risk of transmitting infection. If you are not bare below the elbows, effective hand hygiene is limited.

The aim of being bare below the elbows is to remove sources of re-contamination and to ensure thorough hand hygiene.

This applies to ALL clinically trained/patient facing staff and applies whenever they are in uniform, this includes on a development course.

  • Long sleeves must be removed or pushed up above the elbows during ‘hands-on’ care and hand hygiene.
  • If long sleeves cannot be rolled up, the jacket must be removed, or sleeve protectors worn.
  • No wristwatches, health monitors or any other wrist jewellery can be worn.
  • Fob watches can be used.
  • No stoned rings are to be worn (a single plain band wedding / civil partnership ring is acceptable).
  • Wrists must be free from jewellery, this includes charity and friendship bracelets.
  • Nails must be kept short and clean.
  • Nail varnish, nail extensions, gel or acrylic nails must not be worn.

For more information, visit the IPC pages on East24.

Published 22nd November 2022