The 5 moments of surface hygiene Do visualizations improve compliance? Differences between the concepts The 5 moments of hand hygiene are divided into near-patient and far-patient and are process-oriented. All moments build on each other along a stringent path. In comparison, the 5 moments of surface hygiene are more complex. They are not a sequence of steps, but independent moments. The proposed visualization [3] deliberately changes the perspective compared to the standard presentation of the 5 moments of hand hygiene in order to differentiate the illustrations from one another. To keep the text short, moment 1, for example, summarizes the disinfection of near-patient and high-touch surfaces as routine disinfection. Successful visual representations facilitate the transfer of knowledge - this also applies in the healthcare sector. This is clearly illustrated by the concept of the 5 moments of hand hygiene [1], whose success is not least due to the strong visual language. Five moments have also been proposed for surface hygiene [2], but the concept has not yet become established. A recent article [3] now proposes a visualization of the 5 moments of surface hygiene in analogy to hand hygiene. This should help to promote the acceptance of surface hygiene as an important pillar of infection prevention. From theory to practice Employee habits can only be changed gradually. Acceptance of surface hygiene is also hindered by the fact that cleaning work and cleaning staff have so far been little noticed. In practice, the hygiene plan and risk analysis of the clinics determine which work steps fall under the 5 moments of surface hygiene. The frequency of cleaning and disinfection also differs between areas with different levels of risk. The visualization of the 5 moments of surface hygiene can help to transfer the complex requirements of surface hygiene into practice. Visualizations should also be used as a supplementary tool as part of a comprehensive training and intervention program. References 1. WHO (2009). WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241597906 (accessed on 18.02.2025) 2. Dancer SJ, Kramer A (2019) J Hosp Infect 103: e1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2018.12.015 3. Krewing M et al. (2025) Hyg Med. 50(6):D46-D51. 4. Kommission für Krankenhaushygiene und Infektionsprävention (KRINKO) beim Robert Koch-Institut (2022) Bundesgesundheitsbl Gesundheitsforsch Gesundheitsschutz 65: 1074-1115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-022-03576-1 Visualization of the 5 moments of surface hygiene according to [2,4], published in [3]. 1 3 2 4 5 Download the poster here: KNOWLEDGE routine disinfection after contaminations before aseptic procedures terminal disinfection in case of outbreaks 6
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