A staff nurse has just completed recording vital signs for a patient in bed 3. She moves to bed 4 to insert an indwelling urinary catheter. According to the WHO 'My Five Moments for Hand Hygiene' model, hand hygiene performed immediately before she starts preparing the sterile catheterisation field corresponds to which moment?
- A Before touching a patient
- B Before a clean or aseptic procedure ✓
- C After touching a patient
- D After body fluid exposure risk
Correct answer: B. Before a clean or aseptic procedure
Explanation
The five moments are: before touching a patient, before a clean or aseptic procedure, after body fluid exposure risk, after touching a patient, and after touching patient surroundings. Inserting a urinary catheter triggers the second moment: hands must be decontaminated immediately before the aseptic act itself, even if they were washed during care of the previous patient. Moment A applies on approach, not before the invasive step.
Reference: WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care, 2009 ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.