These modules support hand hygiene education and training for clinical, non-clinical and student healthcare workers. The content of the modules is consistent with the recommendations of the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards, specifically the Preventing and Controlling Infections Standard, and the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare.

Annual revalidation is a method of ensuring all Hand Hygiene Auditors and Hand Hygiene Auditor Educators remain up to date with their knowledge of the 5 Moments and audit practices. This ensures valid and reliable data for the National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI).

Hand Hygiene Auditors (previously called General Auditors) conduct direct observational audits of healthcare worker hand hygiene compliance.

This page provides information on Hand Hygiene Auditor Educator Training.

Hand hygiene compliance is assessed against a national benchmark, which is currently 80%. There are three national hand hygiene audits conducted each year: 

• Audit period 1: 1 November to 31 March
• Audit period 2: 1 April to 30 June
• Audit period 3: 1 July to 31 October

Responses have been prepared to frequently asked questions (FAQs) to support auditing and other aspects of implementation of the National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI).

Please let us know if you have further questions to include.

Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) are provided to support use of the Commission's hand hygiene and infection prevention and control eLearning modules.

Data on hand hygiene compliance are collected by states and territories for all public health service organisations, and by many private health service organisations, and reported nationally three times per year for the National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI). 

The National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI) Learning Management System (LMS) hosts a suite of online learning modules designed to support healthcare workers' education on hand hygiene practices, hand hygiene auditor training, and infection prevention and control across health service organisations. 

A range of promotional materials are available to support implementation of the National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI).

The National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI) Implementation Guide is designed to help health service organisations to implement and manage their hand hygiene program and to meet the requirements of relevant national standards.

Hand hygiene compliance auditing is conducted to assess the effectiveness of hand hygiene programs in Australia, as part of the National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI). Hand hygiene compliance is assessed across both public and private Australian hospitals, consistent with AHMAC endorsed benchmark of 80 per cent.

Instructions and responses to frequently asked questions have been developed to support use of the HHCApp.

The 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene approach was designed by the World Health Organization to minimise the risk of transmission of microorganisms between a healthcare worker, the patient, and the environment.

Alcohol-based hand rub is the recommended product for hand hygiene in healthcare settings when hands are visibly clean. 

When performed correctly, hand hygiene results in a reduction of microorganisms on hands and contributes to prevention of healthcare-associated infection and improved patient safety. 

The Commission has developed a suite of eLearning modules on hand hygiene and infection prevention and control.

Hand hygiene is a fundamental part of patient care to prevent the spread of infections and contamination of the healthcare environment.

Contact the NHHI Help Desk for support with the NHHI Learning Management System (LMS) and the Hand Hygiene Compliance Application (HHCApp).