How often should hand hygiene be performed in a healthcare setting?

Hand hygiene is a critical practice in healthcare settings, essential for preventing the transmission of infections. Performing hand hygiene before and after patient contact, as well as after removing gloves, is recommended because it helps eliminate potential pathogens that may be present on hands. This practice interrupts the chain of infection and safeguards both patients and healthcare providers.

The rationale for this recommendation lies in the fact that healthcare providers are often in contact with multiple patients throughout their shifts, and the potential for cross-contamination between patients can be significant. Hand hygiene performed at these key moments ensures that any germs or contaminants picked up from one patient are not transferred to another.

In contrast, only washing hands when visibly soiled fails to account for many pathogens that cannot be seen and may still pose a risk. Performing hand hygiene once every hour does not adequately address the frequency and context of patient interactions, while after every patient contact could be excessive if it does not include other key times, such as after glove removal. Thus, the optimal approach to hand hygiene incorporates multiple critical moments to maximize patient safety and infection control.