By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    stress disorder
    5 Ways To Manage Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    October 27, 2021
    Medical device classification and development strategies
    Medical device classification and development strategies
    April 5, 2023
    varicose veins
    Varicose Veins Prevention: 3 Lifestyle Changes to Make Right Now
    May 1, 2022
    Latest News
    Health Benefits of Taking a Vacation to Reduce Your Stress
    September 27, 2023
    First Aid Training Enhancing Workplace Health and Safety
    September 25, 2023
    Beyond the Clinic: Medical Surveys Are a Roadmap to Passive Income for Doctors
    September 23, 2023
    5 Self-Care Habits to Help You Live an A+ Life
    September 21, 2023
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    5% of Patients Account for Half of Health Care Spending
    January 14, 2012
    Image
    Physicians With High Productivity And Satisfaction Scores Employ Strong Patient-Centered Communication Skills
    May 7, 2013
    (Some) Docs Launch War on Overutilization
    February 19, 2012
    Latest News
    Job Seekers with Disabilities Should at Health Insurance Benefits
    September 12, 2023
    Reasons That Drug Prices Are Rising to Unsustainable Levels
    September 12, 2023
    How Revenue Lifecycle Management Helps Healthcare Providers to Optimize Business Operations
    September 6, 2023
    The Hidden Benefits of Practice Exams for Medical Professionals
    September 6, 2023
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Creative Proposal for Spreading Fewer Germs in Hospitals: Fist Bumping
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Aa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Aa
Search
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Hospital Administration > Creative Proposal for Spreading Fewer Germs in Hospitals: Fist Bumping
Hospital AdministrationPublic Health

Creative Proposal for Spreading Fewer Germs in Hospitals: Fist Bumping

Deanna Pogorelc
Last updated: 2013/11/30 at 9:00 AM
Deanna Pogorelc
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

spreading fewer germs in hospitalsFirst published on MedCityNews.com. Here’s an interesting proposal from researchers at West Virginia University School of Medicine: Healthcare could prevent nonsocomial infections by taking a cue from bro culture.

spreading fewer germs in hospitalsFirst published on MedCityNews.com. Here’s an interesting proposal from researchers at West Virginia University School of Medicine: Healthcare could prevent nonsocomial infections by taking a cue from bro culture.

In a study published in The Journal of Hospital Infection this fall (you can read the paper full paper here without a subscription), researchers found that fewer germs were transmitted between healthcare workers when they bumped fists instead of shaking hands.

Innovation is all about creative thinking, so let’s give this a chance. After all, hospitals have identified infections as a huge problem that has warranted massive efforts to get workers to comply with handwashing protocols.

More Read

Types of Remote Access Solutions for Hospitals

Types of Remote Access Solutions for Hospitals

What Are the Benefits of Attending Medical Sales College?
Subscription Management Solutions Are Crucial for Telemedicine
Comfort And Safety: 7 Ways Healthcare Organizations Can Create A Better Environment For Their Patients
Best Practices for Healthcare Call Centers Should Follow in 2023

Here’s what the researchers wrote:

“We have determined that implementing the fist bump in the healthcare setting may further reduce bacterial transmission between healthcare providers by reducing contact time and total surface area exposed when compared with the standard handshake.”

To get there, they had two healthcare workers wash their hands, travel through a hospital and shake hands with 20 other healthcare workers, then plate their hands. Then those healthcare workers repeated the procedure with a fist bump instead of a handshake, plating their fist instead of their palm afterward.

After incubating the plates for 72 hours, the researchers counted the colony forming units on each plate. Colonization was four times greater on the palm than on the fist, they reported.

There are lots of limitations of this study — two subjects is by no means a thorough sample size, and the researchers reported only one piece of data. That leaves a lot of questions unanswered. How would the results compare if patients or visitors from outside of the hospital were included? Is increased colonization tied to increased disease risk?

@DrMStiegler @howiemandel @marisswagner Difference in colonization rates between handshake and fist bump was not significant.

— Skeptical Scalpel (@Skepticscalpel) November 24, 2013

 

No one’s suggesting healthcare ditch the handwashing efforts, but this light-hearted suggestion is worth considering.

@lucgaloppin proposes “fist bump” greeting (less infection). Some are now doing “elbow bump”! Pic: http://t.co/RIf8pPW0p9 #ptsafetybrussels

— Dave deBronkart (@ePatientDave) November 25, 2013

 [Image credit: Flickr user US Army]

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Deanna Pogorelc November 30, 2013
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
Share
Previous Article The Power of LinkedIn Showcase Pages
Next Article morning after pill effectiveness Morning-After Pill Doesn’t Prevent Pregnancies for Women Over 176 Lbs.

Stay Connected

1.5k Followers Like
4.5k Followers Follow
2.8k Followers Pin
136k Subscribers Subscribe

Latest News

Andropause hormonal decline
The Benefits of TRT for Andropause and Hormonal Decline
Wellness September 28, 2023
Cancer Prevention
The Importance of Lipoma Examination in Cancer Prevention
Cancer September 28, 2023
dental implant
Cost Analysis of Dental Implants in Australia
Dental health September 28, 2023
View,Of,Niagara,Falls,In,Autumn
Health Benefits of Taking a Vacation to Reduce Your Stress
Health September 27, 2023

You Might also Like

medical billing training
Medicare

Navigating Through the Essentials: Medical Billing Training for Beginners

September 12, 2023
healthcare providers
Hospital Administration

How Revenue Lifecycle Management Helps Healthcare Providers to Optimize Business Operations

September 6, 2023
healthcare influencers
Public Health

The Impact of Health Influencers on Public Health

July 18, 2023
optimize healthcare business
News

Top Tips To Optimize Operations In Your Healthcare Office

June 30, 2023
Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Follow US
© 2008-2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?