The document provides instructions for proper hand hygiene. It describes rubbing hands for 20-30 seconds as the procedure for handrub, which involves applying product to cover hands and rubbing different surfaces together. It describes washing hands for 40-60 seconds as the procedure for handwash, which involves wetting, soaping, rubbing and rinsing hands. The five moments for hand hygiene are identified as before touching a patient, before clean procedures, after risk of body fluid exposure, after touching a patient, and after touching the patient's surroundings.

1. RUB HANDS FOR HAND HYGIENE! WASH HANDS WHEN VISIBLY SOILED
How to handrub?
Duration of the entire procedure: 20-30 seconds
Apply a palmful of the product in a cupped hand, covering all surfaces;
1a 1b
Right palm over left dorsum with
interlaced fingers and vice versa;
Palm to palm with fingers interlaced; Backs of fingers to opposing palms
with fingers interlocked;
3 5
Rotational rubbing of left thumb
clasped in right palm and vice versa;
Rotational rubbing, backwards and
forwards with clasped fingers of right
hand in left palm and vice versa;
6 7
WASH HANDS WHEN VISIBLY SOILED! OTHERWISE, USE HANDRUB
How to handwash?
Duration of the entire procedure: 40-60 seconds
0
Apply enough soap to cover
all hand surfaces;
Wet hands with water;
3
Right palm over left dorsum with
interlaced fingers and vice versa;
Palm to palm with fingers interlaced; Backs of fingers to opposing palms
with fingers interlocked;
6
Rotational rubbing of left thumb
clasped in right palm and vice versa;
Rotational rubbing, backwards and
forwards with clasped fingers of right
hand in left palm and vice versa;
Rinse hands with water;
9
Dry hands thoroughly
with a single use towel;
Hand Hygiene
August 2009
When and How
WHO acknowledges the Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG), in particular the members of the Infection Control
Programme, for their active participation in developing this material.
21
Rub hands palm to palm;
4 5
7 8
11
Your hands are now safe.
10
Use towel to turn off faucet;Once dry, your hands are safe.
8
Rub hands palm to palm;
2
4

2. YOUR5MOMENTSFORHANDHYGIENEWhen?
Cleanhands
aresaferhands.
Areyoursclean?
1
2
3
BEFORE
TOUCHING
APATIENT4
AFTER
TOUCHING
APATIENT
5
AFTER
TOUCHINGPATIENT
SURROUNDINGS
B
EFORE
C
LEAN/ASEPTIC
P
ROCEDURE
RISK
FLUIDEXPOSU
R
E
AFTERBOD
Y
1
2
3
4
5
WHEN?Cleanyourhandsbeforetouchingapatientwhenapproaching
him/her.
WHY?Toprotectthepatientagainstharmfulgermscarriedonyour
hands.
WHEN?Cleanyourhandsimmediatelybeforeperforminga
clean/asepticprocedure.
WHY?Toprotectthepatientagainstharmfulgerms,includingthe
patient'sown,fromenteringhis/herbody.
WHEN?Cleanyourhandsimmediatelyafteranexposurerisktobody
fluids(andaftergloveremoval).
WHY?Toprotectyourselfandthehealth-careenvironmentfrom
harmfulpatientgerms.
WHEN?Cleanyourhandsaftertouchingapatientandher/his
immediatesurroundings,whenleavingthepatient’sside.
WHY?Toprotectyourselfandthehealth-careenvironmentfrom
harmfulpatientgerms.
WHEN?Cleanyourhandsaftertouchinganyobjectorfurnitureinthe
patient’simmediatesurroundings,whenleaving–evenifthe
patienthasnotbeentouched.
WHY?Toprotectyourselfandthehealth-careenvironmentfrom
harmfulpatientgerms.
BEFORETOUCHING
APATIENT
BEFORECLEAN/
ASEPTICPROCEDURE
AFTERBODYFLUID
EXPOSURERISK
AFTERTOUCHING
APATIENT
AFTER
TOUCHINGPATIENT
SURROUNDINGS
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theinformationcontainedinthisdocument.
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