A hospital is one of those places where self-care and even basic hygiene play a crucial role in the health and sometimes the lives of the patients and staff who work there. Any infection that may be on the surface that a patient has come into contact with is dangerous because it carries many bacteria and the diseases associated with them. To this end, it is necessary to disinfect the rooms as often as possible so that in the future, there is no possibility of a recurrence of the disease or, even worse, a worsening of an already existing health condition. However, such a problem is only one part of the general course of the hygiene case. The most frequent surface that patients come into contact with is the treatment personnel (Foddai et al., 2017). These people are often carriers of dangerous diseases from one person to another and directly threaten other people in the medical facility. This article will concentrate on the importance of hygiene of doctors and other people in the health care system, as well as a comparative analysis of different methods of disinfecting the bodies of these people.
The main products used for this purpose are alcohol-based antiseptics and essential hygiene products such as soap in any form, liquid or solid. Each method of cleaning the body’s germs has its own positive and negative sides. For example, the use of antiseptic preparations with an alcohol capacity of more than 80 percent provides the best protection against germs and other microorganisms (Abramovitz, 2017). Such treatment of the hands helps to eliminate diseases that may remain after seeing the patient to the doctor and also prevents the appearance of other germs for a while (Pomaa Akuoko, 2019). Being the safest method of disinfecting the body and clothing, it is the most popular not only in hospitals but all over the world. Against the backdrop of recent pandemic events, people have begun to pay much more attention to hygiene and body surface cleaning (Indriyastuti et al., 2022). Against the backdrop of deadly disease, concern for one’s health and loved ones have come to the forefront, which puts antiseptic preparations at the forefront of the most effective ways to protect against viruses.
However, there are a number of nuances, especially when it comes to the hospital, despite the fact that in this kind of institution, the body safety system should be at a very high level. Still, not all doctors use alcohol-based antiseptics. Often, this is due to the fact that these people work with patients who do not like the pungent smell of alcohol that follows after treating their hands (Pourkazemi et al., 2020). The subliminal aspect discourages people from full-fledged diagnosis, which casts doubt on its efficacy and correctness. Be that as it may, the physician is an employee of a sphere aimed at sociological influence, and the role of others is vital in this context. To this end, it is essential to consider the means of protection against germs and their impact on the environment, as it is no less important than the means of protecting itself (Balasoma et al., 2022). The use of antiseptics in hospitals is not mandatory, but it is advisable to minimize contact with this alcohol-containing substance.
In contrast, another method of protection against disease and germs is used by people worldwide. This is the standard soap that is in the homes of almost everyone. As previously mentioned, antiseptic medications offer the most significant protection against the dangers surrounding the doctor and his patients, but soap is not inherently inferior in effectiveness. Without, or in minimal quantities, alcohol, germs are still destroyed because of the other chemical characteristics of soap, which is just as important when considering the efficacy of the method (Marriott et al., 2018). In addition, there are many variations of different smells that will suit every person’s taste. As previously explained, odor plays a crucial role when working in hospitals, as it allows the doctor to be safe from disease and the need for direct contact with the sick person. The smell of soap is not repellent. On the contrary, many of them have unique fragrances added, which contribute to a better aroma and do not reduce the properties of protection against bacteria. Although this method is now considered outdated, it is still valid, and the use of soap in hospitals is regarded as a less advanced but more correct step concerning the people around them.
As a result, we can conclude that despite the limited methods of treating skin after contact with patients and before it, there is still controversy about the use of each of them. Although antiseptic provides an increased level of safety, it does not take into account the specifics of the profession, which is very important. Therefore, the use of soap as a proverbial method of disinfection may be considered preferable due to its focus on social interaction. Many arguments can be made for each side, but each doctor is free to choose which protective equipment to use. The main thing – do not forget about the rules of basic hygiene.
References
Abramovitz, M. (2017). 12 Ways To Prevent Disease. 12-Story Library.
Balasoma, A., Djunaedi, N., & Zainal Fatah, M. (2022). Hand Washing Let’s Clean Together, Hand Washing Movement With Soap With SDIT Rabbani Tolitoli Students. J-Dinamika : Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat, 7(1), 17–23. Web.
Foddai, A. C. G., Grant, I. R., & Dean, M. (2017). Efficacy of Instant Hand Sanitizers against Foodborne Pathogens Compared with Hand Washing with Soap and Water in Food Preparation Settings: A Systematic Review. Journal of Food Protection, 79(6), 1040–1054. Web.
Indriyastuti, H. I., Sofiana, J., & Kusumastuti, K. (2022). Implementation of Hand Washing Dance Method to Knowledge of Hand Washing Techniques of Preschool Age Children During the Covid 19 Pandemic. ABDIMAS: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat, 4(2), 994–998. Web.
Marriott, N. G., Schilling, M. W., & Gravani, R. B. (2018). Principles of food sanitation. Springer.
Pomaa Akuoko, C. (2019). Bacterial Reduction of Hand Contamination: Hand Rubbing with Alcohol-Based Solution or Handing Washing with Soap and Water? Journal of Health, Medicine and Nursing, 67. Web.
Pourkazemi, A., Mojtahedi, A., Kazemi, S., & Asgari, M. (2020). Efficacy of Hand rubbing with alcohol based solution versus standard hand washing with soap and water in a Tertiary care Hospital in The North Iran. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology, 13(4), 1615. Web.