Tagged with 'Personal Protective Equipment'

Gabriel Ryan, School Health Blog Writer and Contributor

Healthy Hand Hygiene For All

Schools across the country are in the process of preparing for the upcoming school year. Unlike last year, many students and staff will return to in-person instruction and learning right away. Staying safe and healthy will continue to be a priority for staff, families, and students. Did you know, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), “handwashing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection”? This Access Angle segment is focused on hand hygiene; what is hand hygiene and why is it important?

What is hand hygiene?

Hand hygiene is cleaning your hands with soap and water, which reduces harmful germs on the hands. Hand hygiene can also include using alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

The CDC has a handwashing website with several detailed articles on how and why handwashing is important, such as “Show Me the Science- How to Wash Your Hands” and “When and How to Wash Your Hands”. They also promote the following six steps:

Handwashing Six Steps:

1.      Wet hands with water.

2.      Apply enough soap to cover all hand surfaces.

3.      Rub hands together and scrub everywhere.

4.      Wash the front and back of your hands, in between your fingers, and under your nails.

5.      Rinse hands with water.

6.      Dry hands completely using a single-use towel or air dry

Note: Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand rub that contains 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

The Minnesota Department of Health website has several easy-to-follow webpages full of great information for teaching hand hygiene for people of all ages, along with posters and videos. I found one of their hand-washing instructional videos on “How to Wash Your Hands” especially interesting, as they made sure to include a video with descriptive audio. This is a great resource for those who may benefit from a little extra detail along with the visual. You can even find this fantastic poster that says “Wash Your Hands”, in 24 languages.

What if you are unable to reach the soap, faucet, or pull up to the sink?

Accessing the sink can be very difficult for some people out in the community as sinks are not always easy to reach for someone using a wheelchair, or who has reduced arm mobility or reach. Access may be limited by an under-sink cabinet preventing someone using a wheelchair from getting close enough to reach the faucet. It is also difficult if the counter is too high or too low. Soap dispensers are often out of reach, followed by the paper towels which are frequently even further away. Over the last several years, more businesses and schools have installed motion activated faucets, soap and paper towel dispensers. This has increased access for all users, as it’s a universal design approach. As someone who uses a wheelchair, there are a few things I have found helpful when I cannot reach the sink:

·         Hand wipes and hand sanitizer- these are easy and convenient to bring along in a backpack or bag, and some containers even clip to a belt loop.

·         Paper towel with water- although this does not follow the CDC’s recommendation to use water and soap, sometimes you just have to reach what you can and at least wipe or rinse your hands until you can get to a more accessible sink or have assistance.

·         Ask for help – I have found that most people will give you a hand, they just don’t know how to help. You could ask someone to turn on/off the water, put soap on a paper towel for you, grab a dry paper towel for you, etc. Staff may be able to assist.

A tip: just because someone has a disability, doesn’t always mean they need help, (so don’t assume), but if you see someone struggling at the sink you may just make someone’s day if you ask them, “anything I can do to help?”

Helpful related School Health products:

Below I have highlighted a few School Health products that have been helpful to both educators and parents:

·         Handwashing posters are a great visual to display near sinks

·         Time Timer WASH Handwashing Timer hands free timer has a bright visual display, is portable, battery operated, and also has a music feature! Using a timer can also be a fun way to assist children in washing their hands for the recommended time. Watch Dr. Ray’s video overview!

·         Touchless Dispenser and Stand with Universal Reservoir dispenses a product of your choice and is available either as a wall mount or with an adjustable stand.

·         safeHands Alcohol Free Foam Hand Sanitizers are a great alternative for those sensitive to alcohol content in other sanitizers. These sanitizers kill 99.99% of common germs and are gentle on hands.

·         Handwashing and Hygiene Dominos Game helps children connect good nutrition and good personal hygiene to good health. Game contains 28 2-sided 2" x 4" laminated, heavy cardstock tiles and an instruction sheet with storage box.

Mark your calendar for Global Handwashing Day on October 15th, a day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing!

As we begin this new academic year, we find ourselves wondering how education is going to look. Unlike last year, most districts have made the decision to go back to in-person learning. The recent rise of the delta variant has created a concern and many states, districts, and schools have begun recommending the use of masks. As we look forward to the 2021-22 academic year, let us look back on the past 18 months.  

In an attempt to keep schools in-person, districts nationwide are updating policies or making recommendations on mask usage for students and staff. Some districts have already mandated the use of masks for all students, faculty, and staff in the buildings, while others have placed the decision of mask use on the shoulders of the parents. In many districts, fully vaccinated faculty and staff have been given the option to wear a mask or not, while other districts have relied heavily on the guidelines of their local Health Departments. Whatever decision your school or district has made, School Health is here to help you keep your students, staff, and communities safe and healthy with a wide selection of masks and PPE.

When it comes to our students and those who interact with them —whether in classroom settings or in therapeutic settings —I always recommend clear masks. Using clear masks allows the mouth to be displayed to those around you and has a lot of great benefits for learners of all ages and abilities. For teachers, it can be helpful for many students to see you smile or watch your mouth move while you are speaking. In my conversations with many Speech-Language Pathologists, they have discussed how much they have relied on clear masks for their in-person therapy sessions. When students are able to see the mouth and all of its movement, they are able to continue with essential developmental processes, while limiting some distraction from a covered face.

Students wearing clear masks can still recognize facial expressions and emotions, express themselves and their emotional state, read lips while someone is speaking, and more. It can also help teachers and staff better communicate with students by eliminating some chance of miscommunication. Another great benefit of using clear masks for students is the sense of normalcy they provide by allowing students to smile at each other, react to peers’ facial expressions, and interact with friends as they are used to doing. By eliminating as many stressors as possible, our students can focus on their learning and social activities without the added emotional and physical stressors of miscommunication or social insecurities.

While we head back into in-person learning across the country, please be aware that masks are already in high demand. The country continues to suffer from shortages in raw materials and personnel available to transport products from location to location. With that in mind, ordering supplies ahead of time and preparing for the colder months now can help ensure you’ll have the supplies you need this cold and flu season, or in case of a COVID-19 outbreak at your facility. When selecting products, it can be difficult to choose what may work best for your students and facility. We are proud to have high-quality PPE products you can trust, and our team is always here to help you find the products to best serve your needs.

We thank you for doing all that you do for our students in these uncertain times!