Hand Hygiene can save the lives of those who trust you to care for them.
The global effort led by the World Health Organization (WHO) speaks of "My Five Moments for Hand Hygiene". These are the 5 key moments when health care workers should perform hand hygiene
- Before touching a patient
- Before clean/aseptic procedures
- After body fluid exposure/risk
- After touching a patient
- After touching patient surroundings
Either soap and water or alcohol-based hand disinfection (AHD) may be used. In most circumstances. AHD is favored because it is more efficient than handwashing with soap and water.
Handwashing with soap and water should be used in association with care of patients with known or suspected norovirus or Clostridiodes (formerly Clostridium) difficile infection since alcohol does not kill C difficile spores or norovirus