tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post6176269365722044116..comments2023-09-21T04:02:29.457-04:00Comments on Skeptical Scalpel: That electric hand dryer study was bogus: Here's why Skeptical Scalpelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-17709409520974921492017-08-09T15:45:28.637-04:002017-08-09T15:45:28.637-04:00Emily, thanks for commenting. Good points. Separat...Emily, thanks for commenting. Good points. Separating the infected from the immunosuppressed would be difficult because many patients have both problems. Skeptical Scalpelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-14815089756043067252017-08-08T17:20:05.990-04:002017-08-08T17:20:05.990-04:00For hospitals, where infection control either is o...For hospitals, where infection control either is or should be a top priority, it seems to me that offering both air dryers and white paper towels (because white paper towels are proven in studies to clear bacteria better than the brown ones...which I think may have something to do with the texture) might be best.<br /><br />For retail, like at Target and Starbucks, I'm less concerned.<br /><br />Obviously, it's better to be more careful than usual at hospitals, because you're putting both the immunosuppressed people and the serious-infection-having people in the same building, which just seems stupid to start with!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14392231082995888083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-24135574111651001172017-04-24T09:12:09.026-04:002017-04-24T09:12:09.026-04:00It would be a shocker indeed. The air from the dry...It would be a shocker indeed. The air from the dryer would pass through the inside of the machine which could not be sterilized. It would also kick up a lot of air in the neighborhood of the dryer. Any organisms on nearby surfaces would be stirred up and become airborne. That's not what you would want in your operating room scrub area.Skeptical Scalpelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-88545516371799283252017-04-24T08:59:22.284-04:002017-04-24T08:59:22.284-04:00I just wonder if any OR in the world has dryers by...I just wonder if any OR in the world has dryers by the scrub stations. That would be a shocker I think... thoughts?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14020243926950390308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-70226552134056646092016-10-07T06:16:21.774-04:002016-10-07T06:16:21.774-04:00That is true. It doesn't matter what the dryin...That is true. It doesn't matter what the drying situation is if you don't wash your hands. I just returned from Ireland where air dryers including a lot of high-speed ones are nearly universal. It is hard to get completely dry when using one.Skeptical Scalpelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-8251125833607238032016-10-06T17:00:01.733-04:002016-10-06T17:00:01.733-04:00Most people I've seen leaving public restrooms...Most people I've seen leaving public restrooms don't actually bother to wash their hands.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-68294705774923941512014-12-05T06:29:29.413-05:002014-12-05T06:29:29.413-05:00Eliot, good points. More reasons to go with paper....Eliot, good points. More reasons to go with paper. Skeptical Scalpelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-80371633129884970802014-12-04T10:22:20.831-05:002014-12-04T10:22:20.831-05:00I don't like hand dryers, especially when you ...I don't like hand dryers, especially when you have to wait in line to use the only one in the men's room. I like paper towels because I can hold one in my hand to avoid touching the door as I leave the men's room. Eliot W. Collinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09253228676000468512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-30920543547232382782014-11-29T08:27:28.068-05:002014-11-29T08:27:28.068-05:00Well, that's why you wash your hands. You can ...Well, that's why you wash your hands. You can use a paper towel to turn off the water or you can do it with your elbow like we once did in the OR before automatic faucets existed.Skeptical Scalpelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-67254935632558798842014-11-28T19:58:21.192-05:002014-11-28T19:58:21.192-05:00Seems like the first thing you touch after pooping...Seems like the first thing you touch after pooping would have the most bacteria ..the soap dispenser and faucet handles.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-85626933388380873142014-11-27T14:09:42.518-05:002014-11-27T14:09:42.518-05:00I'll save the rest of you from trying both lin...I'll save the rest of you from trying both links. They are the same talk. Thank Julie and Anon for nearly simultaneously commenting the same thing. <br /><br />PS: The talk could indeed have been cut to 30 seconds. Skeptical Scalpelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-38964037553355382932014-11-27T13:48:47.211-05:002014-11-27T13:48:47.211-05:00if you want to waste 4.5 min of your life to learn...if you want to waste 4.5 min of your life to learn how to dry your hands with one paper towel... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FMBSblpcrcAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-41970565141045193292014-11-27T13:29:17.527-05:002014-11-27T13:29:17.527-05:00Here's the TED talk about how to use a paper t...Here's the TED talk about how to use a paper towel: https://www.ted.com/talks/joe_smith_how_to_use_a_paper_towel<br /><br />Changed my habits completely and I'm converting others as well. Juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11731199871973705439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-79307453899400747652014-11-26T13:38:51.067-05:002014-11-26T13:38:51.067-05:00My nephew told me about a new type of hand dryer t...My nephew told me about a new type of hand dryer that is suppose to stop the spread of bacteria. It has a place that you put your hands into that catches the water. Seems that the water puddles at the bottom of where you put your hands. <br /><br />frankbillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05592389641852861124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-13328917324780598882014-11-26T11:32:44.752-05:002014-11-26T11:32:44.752-05:00I usually do. You can't do that with an electr...I usually do. You can't do that with an electric dryer. :-)Skeptical Scalpelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-55650693805523104842014-11-26T11:09:46.405-05:002014-11-26T11:09:46.405-05:00I use the paper towel to turn the knob on the bat...I use the paper towel to turn the knob on the bathroom door as I exit the bathroom. You should too.<br /><br />William Reicherthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10062067819184876941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-2289300049792286622014-11-26T07:18:48.637-05:002014-11-26T07:18:48.637-05:00Anon, I had not heard that one before. You may be ...Anon, I had not heard that one before. You may be right.<br /><br />Frank, Johns Hopkins Hospital has removed sensors for the faucets on its sinks. They found that there are more bacteria in the works of the sensors than you might acquire by touching the faucet. Pro tip: Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet when you finish washing your hands.Skeptical Scalpelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-48457688217783258362014-11-25T14:31:40.879-05:002014-11-25T14:31:40.879-05:00Would seem that the button that you touch to start...Would seem that the button that you touch to start the dryer would have the most bacteria of any place. So just starting the dryer would be a health hazard. <br /><br />If you use the ones that have the sensor then more likely to touch the wall trying to get hands in right place to start. <br /> <br />Sometimes washing hands in sink with sensor can be more of health hazard then using paper towel or hand dryer. Don't know how many times I have touched the sink trying to get the water to run. Because of this don't always wash hands as good as I like. <br /> frankbillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05592389641852861124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-69784647568184279182014-11-25T13:31:03.299-05:002014-11-25T13:31:03.299-05:00A co-worker told me she'd read that shaking yo...A co-worker told me she'd read that shaking your hands over the sink 12 times after washing them removes enough water that you only need one paper towel to dry them. I tried it and discovered it's true. So a few seconds more at the sink can halve the ecological effect of paper towel use.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-80997491984539017922014-11-23T19:52:07.864-05:002014-11-23T19:52:07.864-05:00Emily, I agree. I was going to put that in the pos...Emily, I agree. I was going to put that in the post, but it was already too long. One article I read said exactly that. People become impatient and walkout wiping their hands on their pantsSkeptical Scalpelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-62282086412014844012014-11-23T16:51:11.505-05:002014-11-23T16:51:11.505-05:00For me, those electric hand dryers are too slow. ...For me, those electric hand dryers are too slow. Most of the time I try to finish the job by flapping my hands in the air on the way out. I've even seen some people just wiping them on their clothes.Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05940690276889484399noreply@blogger.com