Hand Hygiene

Infection Prevention Solutions

Adapted from the World Health Organization/Health Protection Scotland

Applying hand hygiene principles in clinical practice:

WHO “My five moments for hand hygiene” initiative

The World Health Organisation (WHO) concept of “5 moments for hand hygiene” has been adopted internationally as a means of providing a user- and service user-centred approach to hand decontamination with minimal complexity and across a wide range of health care settings and professions.

The concept of “5 moments” is intended to make it easier to understand the occasions (moments) when there is a risk of micro-organisms’ transmission via the hands, to memorise these “5 moments” and to assimilate them into health-care activities. The