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I don't recall ever shaking my doctor or dentist's hand.
If a doctor, dentist or nurse reaches out to shake your hand, should you: (a) reciprocate and extend your hand, (b) shake at least once or twice but don’t pump or hold hands for more than five seconds, (c) make eye contact and smile while shaking or (d) recoil in horror, shove your hands deep into any available pocket and report the perpetrator to the nearest infection control specialist?
If you answered ‘d,’ then high five me. You understand the sorry state of hand hygiene in American health care and the toll it takes in spreading disease.
An editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests banning the handshake from health care settings. Instead, the authors recommend “infection-conscious alternatives,” such as the hand wave, bow or hands-together Namaste.
If you answered ‘d,’ then high five me. You understand the sorry state of hand hygiene in American health care and the toll it takes in spreading disease.
An editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests banning the handshake from health care settings. Instead, the authors recommend “infection-conscious alternatives,” such as the hand wave, bow or hands-together Namaste.
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