If you wish to become a CNA, one of the most important skills that you would need to learn is hand washing techniques for nursing assistants which can be said to be the most basic yet, the most significant skill that you should learn.  Hand washing is an important task that you need to do before performing all the other tasks that you will be required of you.  It is an important step in preventing the spread of disease and infection which can be one of the distinguishing factors between getting worse and getting well.

Hand washing not only removes the visible dirt that you can see on your hands, it also destroys and removes microbial infections that you may be carrying under your nails and other parts of your hands.  That said, it is therefore needful for you to do this very simple task before handling your patient or any of his or her things.  You will need to this before and after those tasks that you will do on your patient. Prevention of the spread of disease is one of the goals of a nursing assistant, and through this task, you will be doing this very significant aim a huge favor.

To start washing your hands, you need first to remove all jewelries and accessories that you may have on your wrists or hands.  This is to be better able to remove all the dirt, both visible and invisible, which may be hiding on hard to reach areas as well as to prevent any of those which are in your accessories from contaminating the patient.  The sweat that accumulates on such accessories are good breeding grounds for some bacteria which may not be removed if you wash your hands wearing them.

Next, turn on the water on the tap and make sure that it will not be too hot or too cold for your skin.  Wet your hands up to your wrists and then use a sufficient amount of soap to give your hands a good lather.  The time allotted for this task is usually from 15 to 30 seconds depending on the rules of the state where you will be taking the test.  Rub your hands vigorously against each other for the duration of that period making sure that you apply significant time in each and every area of your hands such as the spaces between your fingers, the area around your nail cuticles, beneath your nails, and area which are immediately surrounding the wrists.

After this, with the water still turned on, start rinsing your hands under the water with your hands on a downward direction.  Allow the water to flow from your wrists to the tips of your fingers as this would prevent any bacteria from contaminating other parts of your hands.  Take a disposable or paper towel and dry your fingers starting from your fingers and ending in your wrist area.

Use the paper towel to turn the water off and then dispose of accordingly. Following these steps carefully will help you not just pass the certification test, but improve you and your patient’s health as well.

Video of the proper nurse aide hand washing technique:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaIVOX0Fy60