D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R
G E R Y . N E T • 9
H
and hygiene has always been important,
but COVID-19 has caused us all to refocus
on doing it right. To make sure our staff is
keeping up with this important task, we perform a
fun exercise with Glo Germ, a lotion that glows
brightly when exposed to UV light. Staff members
apply it to their hands and let it dry for a minute or
two before washing it off. When we shine a UV
flashlight on their hands, they can see how well
they washed based on the amount of Glo Germ that
remains. They're always surprised by how difficult
it is to remove, with nails and wrists being the most
common areas that are missed. The exercise
emphasizes the importance of following our facili-
ty's hand hygiene protocols, which we audit each
month by observing if staff wash their hands or use
hand sanitizer before and after they touch patients,
surfaces, supplies and medications.
You can download a copy of our audit sheet at
outpatientsurgery.net/forms to help track your
staff's performance.
Wendy Wellott, RN, BSN
The Oregon Clinic Gastroenterology East
at Gateway
Portland, Ore.
wwellott@orclinic.com
SEEING IS BELIEVING A lotion that glows under UV light highlights areas missed during hand washing.
HAND HYGIENE
Glowing Germs Stand Out to Staff
Wendy
Wellott
