By Debbie Dahl, MSN, RN, CIC
SSM Health Midwest
Oklahoma Infection Preventionists are excited to announce World Hand Hygiene Day on May 5, 2025, emphasizing the importance of hand hygiene in preventing infections and saving lives. This year’s World Hand Hygiene Day theme, “It might be gloves, it’s always hand hygiene,” underscores the importance of hand hygiene even when gloves are worn, emphasizing that hand hygiene is essential at all times.
“Hand hygiene is a simple yet powerful tool for protecting our health, especially in healthcare settings,” says Debbie Dahl of SSM Health Midwest. “By promoting proper hand hygiene practices, we can significantly reduce the spread of infectious diseases and save lives.”
World Hand Hygiene Day is an annual campaign led by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote hand hygiene in healthcare and beyond. The campaign encourages healthcare workers, policymakers, and the public to prioritize hand hygiene as a cornerstone of infection prevention and control.
The practice of handwashing, while now a fundamental part of hygiene and disease prevention, didn’t become a standard practice in medical settings until the mid-19th century. Ignaz Semmelweis was a Hungarian doctor who, in 1847, implemented mandatory handwashing with chlorine for doctors and students in Vienna after noticing a dramatic decrease in childbed fever rates after they started washing their hands. Before Semmelweis, there was little awareness of the importance of hand hygiene in preventing the spread of disease. Semmelweis noticed that doctors and medical students who performed autopsies and then examined patients in the maternity ward were more likely to spread infection than midwives, who didn’t handle corpses.
While Semmelweis’s ideas were initially met with resistance, the practice of handwashing was eventually adopted, especially after Joseph Lister advocated for handwashing and sterilization of instruments in surgical procedures.
Florence Nightingale also played a significant role in promoting handwashing and other hygiene practices during the Crimean War.
Impact and Modern Practice:
Reduction in Hospital Infections:
Handwashing became a cornerstone of infection control in hospitals, leading to a significant reduction in hospital-acquired infections.
Global Awareness:
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of handwashing and raised global awareness about the need for frequent and proper hand hygiene.
Continued Advancements:
Research continues to explore the effectiveness of handwashing and other hygiene practices in preventing the spread of various infectious diseases.
Key Messages:
• Hand hygiene is essential for preventing healthcare-associated infections.
• Even when gloves are worn, proper hand hygiene is crucial.
• Hand hygiene saves lives and reduces healthcare costs.
• Proper handwashing techniques include using soap and water and scrubbing hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.
“By working together, we can create a healthier and safer environment for everyone.” said Debbie Dahl
