Proper hand hygiene: small action, big effect
Prof. Dr. med. Yvonne Achermann
May 5, 2026
3 min
5 May is World Hand Hygiene Day. The international day of action is part of the World Health Organisation 's (WHO) "SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands" campaign. It draws attention to the importance of clean hands in the healthcare sector.
Hand hygiene in hospitals is one of the simplest and most effective measures to prevent infections. It protects patients, staff and visitors and helps to stop the spread of pathogens. Especially in hospitals, where many people are particularly vulnerable, it is a key component of patient safety.
Why hand hygiene is so important
Our hands are constantly in use: we touch people, objects and surfaces. Microorganisms can be transmitted - invisible germs such as bacteria, viruses or fungi. Even clean-looking hands can pass on pathogens.
In hospitals, hands play a central role in the transmission of germs between patients, staff and the environment. Correctly performed hand hygiene helps to break chains of infection and prevent the transmission of pathogens - including resistant bacteria.
In everyday life, the transmission of pathogens is usually unproblematic. In hospital, however, transmission can have serious consequences, particularly for the elderly, newborns, people with weakened immune systems and patients undergoing surgery. The most feared hospital-acquired infections include pneumonia, urinary tract infections and post-operative wound infections.
Consistent hand disinfection significantly reduces this risk and is therefore an important contribution to patient safety.
The five moments of hand hygiene (WHO)
The WHO describes five situations in which hand disinfection is particularly important and these form the basis for safe procedures in everyday hospital life:
- before patient contact
- before aseptic activities (working under aseptic conditions as possible)
- after contact with potentially infectious material
- after patient contact
- after contact with the immediate patient environment
Hand sanitiser or hand washing - which is better?
In hospital, hand disinfection is the best choice in most cases as long as the hands are not visibly soiled.
Washing hands with soap and water is necessary if they are visibly soiled, after using the toilet and in the case of certain resistant germs.
Important: Gloves are no substitute for hand hygiene. Even when wearing gloves, clean hands remain crucial. Germs can get onto your hands through small micro-tears in the material or when putting them on and taking them off.
Prof. Dr med. Yvonne Achermann, Head Physician, Clinic for Internal Medicine
"As an infectiologist, I see time and again in everyday hospital life that hand disinfection can be forgotten, especially in supposedly banal situations - for example during ward rounds or when moving from one patient room to the next. Yet it is one ...
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Tips for proper hand hygiene in everyday life
Hand hygiene also plays an important role outside the hospital. Simple rules help in everyday life:
- Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, especially after using the toilet, before eating and after coming home
- Use hand sanitiser when necessary, for example when travelling or visiting hospital
- Avoid jewellery on hands and wrists if possible if thorough cleaning is important
- Keep nails short and clean
- Take good care of your hands, as healthy skin can be cleaned better and provides additional protection
Hand hygiene is teamwork
Consistent hand hygiene is a joint task - both in hospital and in everyday life. Every correctly performed hand disinfection or hand cleaning helps to reduce the transmission of pathogens.
World Hand Hygiene Day on 5 May draws attention to the importance of this fundamental measure. Clean hands are a small effort with a big impact - and a significant contribution to the prevention of infections and the safety of our patients.
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