HYGIENE IS TEAMWORK
Hands are our most important tool in everyday work. And clean hands are all the more important, as they protect patients, colleagues and yourself. Especially in healthcare, where teamwork and close contact influence lives every day, thorough hand hygiene and small habits at the point of care are essential. Even just a few seconds of proper hand hygiene can save lives.
Under the motto „hygiene starts with our hands“, we aim to motivate facilities and teams to break chains of infection, take action and thereby create safety for everyone. Join in - for your team, for your patient, for yourself.
Are you familiar with the 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene?
Test your knowledge with an interactive quiz.
THE 5 MOMENTS OF HAND HYGIENE
Are you familiar with the 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene? Identify the five correct moments for hand disinfection and assign them appropriately. Drag the appropriate statements to the BEFORE or AFTER side – but be careful: not all options are part of the official 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene!
Congratulations, you have correctly assigned the 5 moments of hand disinfection as recommended by the WHO.
The „5 Moments for Hand Hygiene“, developed by the WHO, have become an internationally recognised standard, clearly defining the key moments when hand disinfection is essential in clinical settings. This clear system is not merely theoretical knowledge but also a practical foundation for effective infection prevention in daily clinical practice.
In Germany, recent surveys report compliance rates of 75% – a solid performance, yet it still means that roughly every fourth or fifth required hand disinfection is omitted.¹
¹ Source: HAND-KISS, https://www.nrz-hygiene.de/KISS-Modul/anleitungen/KISS/HAND
PROPER HYGIENE SAVES LIVES
EVERY HAND COUNTS
The six steps of hygienic hand disinfection are an important part of basic hygiene.
THE 6 STEPS OF HYGIENIC HAND DISINFECTION
Rub hands palm to palm. When necessary, include the wrists
Rub the clasped fingertips of the right hand on the left palm using a circular motion – and vice versa
Rub palm to palm with interlaced, spread fingers
Rub the back of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked
Rub the right thumb in the closed palm of the left hand using a circular motion – and vice versa
Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers – then switch hands
After that, the question arises as to when disposable gloves should be used.
GLOVES DON’T REPLACE HAND DISINFECTION
When to perform hygienic hand disinfection?
- For contact with intact skin as part of basic hygiene
- For activities without contact to potentially infectious materials (e.g., vaccinations)
- In den 5 Momenten der Händehygiene
When to additionally use disposable gloves?
- When caring for and treating patients with transmissible diseases
- For invasive procedures1,2 punctures and certain injections
- When in direct contact with highly contaminated surfaces
- For activities involving contact to potentially infectious materials
- For alcohol-resistant pathogens (e.g., spores)
1 Sterile gloves must be used for invasive procedures.
2 Bundesgesundheitsblatt 2016 · 59:1189–1220, DOI 10.1007/s00103-016-2416-6
Not every task requires gloves. Most of the time hygienic hand disinfection is sufficient and avoids waste. Hands should be disinfected before donning fresh gloves and after glove removal.
Whether gloves are worn or not, additional hand hygiene guidelines apply when dealing with patients. They form part of general hygiene standards for infection control, which help to prevent the transmission of diseases, particularly in everyday medical practice.
HAND HYGIENE GUIDELINES
NO Rings
NO wristwatch
NO long fingernails
NO nail polish
NO artificial fingernails
COMPLIANCE STARTS WITH ALL OF US
TOGETHER, WE KEEP EVERYONE SAFE
Downloads
schülke is pleased to support you with a range of engaging materials to help you implement World Hand Hygiene Day in your facility.
Reversible card with useful information on
hand hygiene.
Reversible card with useful information on hand hygiene.
Would you like to optimise hand hygiene availability in your facility?
Contact your schülke Regional Sales Manager or Customer Sales Service today for printed materials and personalised advice on optimising hand hygiene compliance in your facility.
schülke hand hygiene
Use disinfectants safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
Schülke & Mayr GmbH, D-22840 Norderstedt, Tel. +49 40 52100-0, info@schuelke.com