Which of the following is one of the five moments for hand hygiene?

• A. Before touching a patient
• B. After finishing a meal
• C. While in the shower
• D. Before leaving the hospital

Answer: (A)

The framework of five moments for hand hygiene is designed to prevent the spread of infection in patient care. One of these moments is before touching a patient, because hands can carry organisms that could be transmitted at the moment you first contact the patient. Hand hygiene right before contact reduces the risk of introducing pathogens to the patient or their surroundings. The other options don’t fit the defined moments: finishing a meal, being in the shower, or leaving the hospital aren’t part of the clinical workflow for hand hygiene and don’t address transmission during direct care or aseptic tasks.