2. Hygiene and infection prevention during the physical examination

Staff of hospitals and other health care institutions need to work hygienically. Various hygiene standards are in force in health care institutions, and these will be different e.g. in nursing homes than in a hospital nursing ward to which patients are admitted for stem cell transplantation. It is important, therefore, to be aware of the latest national and local infection prevention guidelines. The main measure to prevent the transmission of microorganisms from staff to patients and vice versa is basic hygiene. This comprises (a) hand hygiene (how to practise it and the five occasions when it is required), (b) personal hygiene (e.g. not wearing hand or wrist jewellery and keeping uniforms closed), and (c) personal protective equipment, including gloves and face masks. Cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation are also important to break the chain of infection. Additional measures will sometimes be needed to prevent infection spreading, e.g. in line with isolation guidelines.