observation & commentary.

i think that, as a doctor or nurse trying to save lives, hand-washing can be a pretty trivial thing to have on your mind. the writer of the article seems not to understand how stressful a job like that could be, having a million people's well-beings floating around on your mind. it's understandable to forget to deal with basic hygiene when you have a lot going on around you. i know that i've forgotten to brush my teeth before when i wake up late or have a lot to worry about--it happens. however, i'm not saying it's okay, or trying to make excuses for it. i'm sure a lot of it is simply due to laziness as well.
honestly, questioning whether or not a medical professional has gone through all the proper sanitary procedures before doing something could be either mildly insulting or embarassing. what would be easier for them to do? 1. admit that they didn't and immediately go back and spend the time correcting themselves, or 2. reassure the patient that they know what they're doing, and that everything is clean and proper. probably the latter.
'national guidelines' say washing for at least 15 seconds is the 'right' way to do it, but i actually would have liked to see some research behind that presented in the article. maybe some statistics or something? i guess i just feel like i can thoroughly wash my hands in less time than that. how long does it take for active ingredients in antibacterial soap to kick in?
the quote from Morales successfully expresses how most people feel about it -- “That’s something you just expect a doctor or a nurse to do." but i do feel like i personally would be extremely embarassed if i was a healthcare worker who had my operating procedures questioned. i imagine it could be awkward, asking a doctor if they're being hygienic.
the quote from Sue Barnes doesn't surprise me either -- “There was some sense of reluctance on the part of physicians at having patients tell them what to do." Generally, physicians know more about health and safety, especially anything germ-related, than the average joe does.
"At the St. Louis Children’s hospital, 2,500 employees wear buttons that say “Ask me!” and participate in activities like a monthly “Hand Hygiene Hoopla” that includes games and treats, said Susan Hibbits, the hospital’s director." --this just seems overzealous and just plain dumb. i hate people who devote their lives to one tiny strange little cause and become ridiculously enthusiastic about it. IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL. sure, encourage it, maybe have a little satff meeting or something addressing the situation, but 'hand hygiene hoopla'?? yeah, that sounds like buckets of good clean fun [haha]. i'm sure their 59-96% compliance improvement statistics were a little stretched/biased as well.

however, i really REALLY don't believe hygiene practices in schools to be comparable to this situation at all. in a hospital or doctor's office of some sort, you have ALREADY deathly sick people, possibly with open sores or wounds or sensitive areas that need to be kept totally clean. in schools, no one is extremely sick, kids seem to have mild cold or flu bugs at worst, and nobody's walking around with open anythings [i hope D:]. it's a completely different scale. hand-washing in school is definitely not nearly as important as medical places, but i must admit it contributes greatly to various illness, viruses, "bugs", etc. that travel around. in a public place with lots of kids sharing materials, classrooms, the same building, computers...it's easy to see how washing your hands is pretty important. although i personally don't pay enough attention to what others do in the bathroom to reasonably ask them to wash, i'd kind of be surprised if someone told me to do that.
washing my hands after i use the restroom is just out of habit, and i think it should be that way for everyone, especially medical professionals. and for them, it shouldn't just be when they use the restroom, but it should just be a habit before coming into contact with any patient.