"6 Moments of Hand Hygiene: When & Why to Clean Your Hands"

Hand hygiene is a critical aspect of infection prevention and control, especially in healthcare settings. It's a simple yet powerful measure that helps prevent the spread of healthcare-associated infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) has outlined six moments of hand hygiene to ensure that healthcare workers perform this crucial practice at the right time. Let's delve into these moments, their importance, and the correct techniques to follow.

Understanding the Six Moments of Hand Hygiene

The six moments of hand hygiene were introduced by the WHO in their "Five Moments" guidelines, with an additional moment added later. These moments are designed to cover all situations where healthcare workers may need to clean their hands to prevent infection transmission.

1. Before Patient Contact

The first moment of hand hygiene is before touching a patient. This is to ensure that healthcare workers do not transfer their own microorganisms to the patient. It's crucial because patients, especially those with weakened immune systems, are more susceptible to infections.

2. Before Aseptic Procedures

Hand hygiene is essential before performing any aseptic procedures, such as inserting a venous catheter or performing wound care. This is because these procedures carry a high risk of infection transmission if hands are not clean.

3. After Body Fluid Exposure/Risk

After exposure to body fluids, such as blood, secretions, or excretions, hand hygiene is necessary to remove any microorganisms that may have been transferred to the hands. This helps prevent the spread of infections to other patients or healthcare workers.

4. After Patient Contact

Hand hygiene should also be performed after touching a patient, even if gloves were worn. This is because gloves can become contaminated on the outside, and touching them can transfer microorganisms to the hands.

5. After Contact with Patient Surroundings

Patient surroundings, such as bedrails, doorknobs, or equipment, can also harbor microorganisms. Therefore, hand hygiene is necessary after touching these surfaces to prevent the transfer of infections.

6. After Handling Medical Equipment or Devices

The sixth moment was added later to emphasize the importance of hand hygiene after handling medical equipment or devices. These items can also be contaminated with microorganisms and can act as vectors for infection transmission.

Correct Techniques for Hand Hygiene

Knowing when to perform hand hygiene is only half the battle. It's equally important to know how to do it correctly. The WHO recommends using either alcohol-based hand rubs or soap and water for hand hygiene.

• Alcohol-based hand rubs: Apply the product to the palm of one hand and rub hands together. Ensure all surfaces of the hands and fingers are covered. Continue rubbing until hands are dry.
• Soap and water: Wet hands with water, apply enough soap to lather, rub hands palm to palm, back of hands to palms, fingers interlaced, and thumbs, then rinse hands under clean, running water, and dry using a clean towel or air dry.

It's also important to note that hand hygiene should be performed even if gloves are worn. Gloves are not a substitute for hand hygiene but rather an additional barrier to protect against infection transmission.

Hand Hygiene Products and Their Effectiveness

The effectiveness of hand hygiene products is a topic of much debate. While soap and water are effective in removing dirt and microorganisms, alcohol-based hand rubs have been shown to be more effective in killing a broader range of microorganisms, including viruses and spores. However, the choice of product should be based on the specific situation and local guidelines.

Product	Effectiveness Against Bacteria	Effectiveness Against Viruses	Effectiveness Against Spores
Alcohol-based hand rub	High	High	Moderate
Soap and water	High	Moderate	Low

Regardless of the product used, it's crucial to ensure that hands are thoroughly cleaned and dried to maximize the effectiveness of hand hygiene.

Hand hygiene is a simple yet powerful tool in the fight against healthcare-associated infections. By understanding and adhering to the six moments of hand hygiene, healthcare workers can significantly reduce the risk of infection transmission. It's a practice that should be performed not just when visible dirt is present, but also as a routine part of patient care. After all, clean hands save lives.