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0 pointsls6127y ago0 comments

I don’t know about that last part. My dad is a fairly old physician and the way he tells it hand washing has been mandated by the feds for decades and the last cohort of old docs who refused to change in that respect retired circa 1990. But the culture may be different in other parts of the US or world.

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4 comments · 2 top-level

JBlue427y ago· 1 in thread

Currently work at a hospital.

- The CEO's semi-monthly emails have either contained a) reminders to get the flu shot in flu season and b) statements about washing hands.

- Thirty minutes of your new employee orientation is used to discuss handwashing with some funny stories about diarrhea and they go around to every single person to make sure they're washing them correctly.

- Upon entering a patient room, anyone entering is supposed to wash their hands

- Anyone can call out a doctor and ask if they've washed their hands and there are signs to make patients comfortable asking them to do so as well.

So yeah, 2019 and people still need all that as reminders.

BrandonMarc6y ago

I liked how in Freakonomics (I think), they interviewed someone who worked at a hospital, and would regularly and randomly take culture samples of nurses' and doctors' and administrators' hands. The results of the culture were shown on a screensaver.

This feedback and public transparency was both amusing, and enforcing of the necessary handwashing.

mdpopescu7y ago· 1 in thread

Ah... you're in for a nasty surprise. [1]

Among this cohort, the mean self-estimated handwashing rate was 73% (range, 50%-95%), compared with the covertly observed rate for this cohort of 8.6% before and 10.8% after patient contact, with an individual mean rate of 10% (range, 0-33%).

[1] https://www.mja.com.au/journal/1996/164/7/teaching-hospital-...

BrandonMarc6y ago

This feedback and public transparency was both amusing, and enforcing of the necessary handwashing.

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