Healthcare providers should clean their hands at important stages that have been shown to disrupt the transmission of microorganisms to patients. Examples of when hands should be cleaned include:
- Upon completion of required tasks performed in any area not pre-designated as a clean area
- Immediately after removal of gloves or other personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Upon contact or when there is visible contamination with blood or other potentially infectious material (OPIM)
- Before and after direct patient contact, whether or not gloves are worn
- Before eating, drinking, smoking, applying cosmetics, or handling contact lenses
- Before using any handheld electronic device (cell phones, tablets, etc.)
- After using the bathroom
- Before any activities in which hand contact is made with mucous membranes, the eyes, or breaks in the skin (eg, cuts, abrasions, wounds).
- Before handling an invasive device
- After contact with inanimate objects in the immediate vicinity of the patient
Before | After |
Touching a patient | Touching a patient or the patient's surrounding |
Performing aseptic/clean procedures | Blood, body fluid or OPIM exposure or visible contamination |
Eating or drinking | Using the restroom |
Handling an invasive device/performing invasive procedure | Finishing a task in a work area not pre-designed as clean |
Hand contact is made with mucous membranes, eyes, or breaks in skin (eg, cuts, abrasions, wounds) | Removing PPE |