Hand Hygiene Resources

Hand hygiene refers to removing or killing microorganisms on the hands and is one of the most effective measures to prevent the spread of infections. There are serious health implications and financial costs associated with healthcare associated infections (HAIs), which makes hand hygiene a priority. 

Excuses for bad hand hygiene include health care workers being too busy, skin irritations, the use of gloves, and simply forgetting.

It takes less than 60 seconds to clean your hands!

There are two methods of proper hand hygiene. Handwashing should be used when hands are visibly soiled. Handwashing takes less than 60 seconds when using soap and water. Alcohol-based hand rubs only require less than 30 seconds and can be used when hands are not visibly soiled. Both methods are equally effective for proper hand hygiene.

Standards & Guidelines

• Alberta Hand Hygiene Strategy 
  Source: Government of Alberta Health and Wellness
• CHICA-Canada Position Statement: Hand Hygiene 
  Source: Community and Hospital Infection Control Association - Canada
• Best Practices for Hand Hygiene in All Health Care Settings
  Source: Ontario's Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC)
•  Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings
  Source: Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
• Hand Hygiene Recommendations for Remote and Isolated Community Settings
  Source: Public Health Agency of Canada
• Hand Washing, Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization in Health Care 
  Source: Public Health Agency of Canada
• WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care (May 2009) 
  Source: World Health Organization 

Provincial Hand Hygiene Working Group

The Provincial Hand Hygiene Working Group (PHHWG) was formed with the support of the Ministry of Health Services and the BC Health Operations Council; you can read more about the initiative here.

Hand Hygiene Campaigns

Clean Hands Campaign
The initiative is sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology to spread awareness about handwashing. 

Just Clean Your Hands
The Ontario Ministry of Health of Long-Term Care’s provincial hand hygiene improvement program for hospitals.

Save Lives: Clean Your Hands
The World Health Organization is celebrating its second global movement day on May 5, 2010 with a call to action to health-care workers around world. The goal is to have 10,000 hospitals register for the initiative to reduce health care-associated infections (HAI).

“STOP! Clean your hands” Canada’s Hand Hygiene Campaign
Canada’s Hand Hygiene Campaign is a partnership between the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI), the Community and Hospital Infection Control Association - Canada (CHICA), Accreditation Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). The campaign supplements and integrates existing initiatives throughoutCanada.