Day: September 2, 2014

As Nurses we offer handshakes to meet patient’s expectations and to develop a rapport with them. In developing countries such as India, shaking hands has become common, especially in the large cities among nurses and other health care workers dealing with patients.^{1, 2} Ritualistic touching plays a crucial role in many cultures. Though handshakes give a profound impact in better patient outcomes, it also has the potential for greater efficiency of pathogen transmission, and handshakes are known to transmit bacteria.^3,4In India though significant advances have been made in infection control, inadequate practices and surveillance systems persist and there is often a high risk.