THE IMPORTANCE OF HAND WASHING IN HEALTH CARE
             a) The death of many pregnant women in mid 1800's
             b) The epidemic of hospital infection
             c) More people die from hospital infection then any other major disease
             The beginning of hand washing awareness started in the early 1800's due to the alarming death rate of mothers during childbirth. Up to 25% of women who delivered babies in a hospital died of 'child-bed fever', later to be found to be streptococcus pyogenes bacteria
             Subduing infection in American hospitals has become even more difficult. The Tribune's independent analysis, which "adopted methods commonly used by epidemiologists," estimated that the annual death rate resulting from hospital-acquired infections at 103,000 in 2000. About 75 percent of these deaths were preventable, the report said, often by a procedure as simple as proper hand washing.
             The purpose of washing your hands is to remove dirt, organic materials and transient microorganisms. A surgical hand scrub is preformed to remove transient flora and reduce resident flora during surgery.
            
             You should always be sure to be proficient in maintaining sterile technique; it is the most important part of the surgery because it keeps down the infection rate.
            
             STERILE TECHNIQUE.
             Before doing anything in OR (Operating Room) you should start with simple three minute hand wash. This kind of wash you would do when you come out of restroom. The hand wash is the most important aspect of sterile technique.
             The next thing you do is wiping room down. Which means that all surfaces including under tables and on the top of the lights.
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