The prevention and control of infection starts with one of the most basic hygiene habits—hand washing. This is why healthcare environments have no shortage of medical sink stations and hand washing facilities in order to maintain a safe and healthy environment not only for patients and staff, but also for visitors. Hospital administrators and health practice operators must invest in these kinds of facilities in order to ensure good hygiene and prevent the spread of disease especially in infection-prone environments such as hospitals, clinics, and laboratories.
Proper handwashing with soap and clean water removes harmful bacteria and germs from the hands. It is considered the first line of defense against disease because dirty hands can be carriers of infection, which can very easily afflict people, especially since the average person tends to touch their mouth, eyes, and nose multiple times without their conscious knowledge. The same germs and viruses can likewise be passed to others through direct hand contact or by touching contaminated objects like door handles, table tops, etc. In hospital settings where patients are already in a state of poor health and lowered immune system, installing medical sink facilities where they are most needed is also crucial to help prevent patients from picking up even more infections that could worsen their condition.
Routine hand washing is encouraged when there are proper medical sink facilities in hospitals. This helps maintain proper decontamination so that germs cannot spread through social contact. Providing separate sinks and washing facilities for different purposes, such as designating strict areas for cleaning equipment and tools as well as special areas for hand washing is also a good way to prevent the spread of unwanted diseases. Providing hot and cold water options is likewise ideal to help promote disinfection and more thorough hand cleaning.