The pages accessible in English concern access to services and security in regard with health and social services, in accordance with the Charter of the French language regulations. 

Accessibility online and in the facilities

- Project ALLO - Staff and volunteers wearing a yellow card holder can speak English and help you find your way around the facilities.- 
- Interpreter services - To obtain the services of an interpreter, speak with your doctor or staff when scheduling an appointment.- 
- Service navigators and liaison officer - In order to support and accompany Indigenous people in their care and service experience and promote mutual understanding of the information exchanged between caregivers and patients, there is a resource available in Val-d'Or.
- Translate a Web page - If a page is available only in French, you can translate it in your browser. Click right on the page and look for the translation button.
- Need help? Google Chrome – Microsoft Edge – Safari

Hand hygiene, a shared responsibility

Hand hygiene is the simplest and most effective way to reduce the risk of contracting and transmitting bacteria and viruses. For this reason, the CISSS de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue places great importance on it and encourages staff and the public to adopt best practices.

 

Hand hygiene techniques

The preferred method varies depending on the product used: soap and water or hydroalcoholic solution. It is therefore important to adopt the appropriate procedure.

Wash your hands with soap and water:

  1. Wet;
  2. Soap;
  3. Rub for 15 to 20 seconds;
  4. Clean the nails;
  5. Rinse;
  6. Dry;
  7. Close with the paper.

Disinfect your hands with a hydroalcoholic solution (liquid, gel or foam):

  1. Take some hand sanitizer;
  2. Rub the fingertips together;
  3. Rub the inside of your hands and thumbs;
  4. Rub between the fingers;
  5. Rub the outside of your hands;
  6. Rub your hands together until they are dry (15 to 20 seconds).

 

Areas often neglected during hand hygiene

Certain areas are often overlooked when washing or disinfecting hands:

  • Fingertips
  • Inches
  • Backs of fingers
  • Spaces between the fingers
  • Nails

When performing hand hygiene, it is important to pay attention to your hands to ensure they are free of bacteria and germs.

 

Obstacles to hand hygiene

Certain items placed on the fingers or hands can compromise the effectiveness of hand hygiene:

  • Long nails
  • Artificial nails
  • Nail polish
  • Rings
  • Bracelets

Keep this in mind when you wash yourself or you disinfect your hands daily, especially if you have a job where hand hygiene is an essential practice or if you regularly come into contact with people whose health is more fragile (e.g., babies, young children, immunocompromised people or elderly people).

 

Key moments to wash or disinfect your hands

Having good hand hygiene is not just about mastering the procedures for washing or disinfecting your fingertips, but also knowing when to put them into practice!

At what times should healthcare professionals perform hand hygiene?

  • Before coming into contact with a user or their environment;
  • Before an aseptic procedure (e.g., before performing wound care);
  • After a risk of exposure to a biological fluid or after removing gloves (e.g., after changing incontinence underwear);
  • After having been in contact with a user or with their environment.

When is it important to wash or disinfect your hands daily?

  • Before preparing food and eating;
  • After going to the bathroom;
  • After having been in a public place;
  • Upon entering the house;
  • After blowing your nose or after sneezing;
  • When they are dirty.

 

Some interesting facts about hand hygiene

Still doubting the importance of hand hygiene? Here are 3 facts to convince you!

  1. No less than 80% of all infectious diseases ( COVID-19 , influenza, gastroenteritis , etc.) are transmitted by touch.
  2. Adherence to infection prevention and control measures, such as adopting good hand hygiene, reduces the risk of nosocomial infections by at least 50%.
  3. Improperly dried hands increase the risk of transmission of bacteria and germs.

Have you seen posters related to the hand hygiene campaign in the facilities of the CISSS de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue and would like to learn more about it? Consult the news article related to this campaign.

Hand hygiene: available tools

A campaign entitled "Hand Hygiene: A Shared Responsibility," aimed at raising awareness among healthcare professionals and the public about the importance of hand hygiene in healthcare and social service settings, has been launched within the institution. For more information, please see the related news article .