Hand hygiene is a critical part of our infection prevention toolkit. Its importance has been highlighted in recent years as healthcare workers face superbug outbreaks and new pandemics. This webinar uses real-world examples of healthcare-associated infection (HAI) and self-contamination by healthcare workers to make the case for performing hand hygiene properly every time. The speaker will explain the basics of HAIs and describe guidelines for hand hygiene from WHO, CDC, and professional organizations. Participants will be guided through the steps involved in proper hand washing and hand sanitizing. This brief webinar is a good introduction to hand hygiene for new employees and refresher for those receiving annual training and competency testing. 

Objectives

• Describe how hand hygiene contributes to infection prevention in healthcare settings
• Explain the role of hand hygiene when taking off PPE
• Discuss the two primary methods of hand hygiene recommended for healthcare personnel 

Instructor

Krystina M. Hopkins, MPH

Krystina Hopkins was a research manager with Ofstead & Associates, Inc. before moving on to a
frontline quality management position at a local hospital. She has an MPH in environmental health,
specializing in infectious disease. Her research has been published in AJIC, ICHE, Endoscopy International
Open, Journal of Wound Care, Urology, AORN Journal, BI&T, and HSPA’s PROCESS
magazine. Ms. Hopkins has over 15 years of hands-on health and healthcare-related research
experience in diverse in-patient, outpatient, and academic settings. Prior to joining Ofstead in 2017, she
supported clinical trials in environmental health, health economics, and community-based research as a
research project manager at Medica Research Institute. Ms. Hopkins was also involved with projects
related to molecular and microbiology, epidemiology, infectious disease, and occupational health in
various roles at the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Health