More Research on Hospital Handshakes

Two studies on handshakes have made the news recently (1,2). Both indicate that avoiding handshakes and perhaps moving to something such as a fist bump might be a good idea in the healthcare setting. Let’s take a closer look.

In the first study, researchers had two healthcare workers start at the ground floor of a hospital and then proceed to the surgical suite on the 5th floor. They pushed the buttons on elevators, used door handles, etc. Then they shook hands with 20 other healthcare workers working on the surgical floor. After contact, the 20 unsuspecting workers were . . .

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