Profession
British Medical Assn. calls for doctors to wash hands, abandon neckties
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted March 13, 2006
Keeping hands clean and not wearing ties will help physicians prevent the spread of deadly "super bugs," according to a February report by the British Medical Assn.
The BMA said physicians should not wear "functionless clothing" such as ties, which can carry pathogenic microorganisms and are rarely cleaned. Physicians should wear clothes that minimize the spread of infection, for example, items that are laundered frequently. When possible, clothes should be changed when leaving the clinical setting.
The report said effective hand washing is the single most important way to stop infections from spreading. While alcohol scrubs are a useful adjunct, they are not sufficient in many situations, the BMA said.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/03/13/prbf0313.htm.