The most effective way to improve hand hygiene compliance in hospitals is to pair the WHO's 5 Moments framework with a visual, hands-on training tool that makes missed spots impossible to ignore. GloGerm — a UV-reactive gel, oil, or powder that glows under black light — lets staff see contamination and cleaning gaps in real time, rather than relying on lectures or posters alone. Peer-reviewed research backs this up: one hospital study using Glo Germ–based training cut hand hygiene non-compliance from 33.75% to 8.75% after a single structured intervention. Combined with regular auditing, this turns an abstract compliance policy into a measurable, improvable practice.
Why is hand hygiene compliance still a problem in Canadian hospitals?
Despite decades of policy, Canadian hospitals frequently miss hand hygiene compliance targets, and healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain common and costly.
More than 220,000 cases of HAI occur in Canadian hospitals each year, resulting in at least 8,000 deaths — roughly one in every nine hospital patients. Source: PICNet (Provincial Infection Control Network of BC).
Recent provincial auditing shows these are not just historical gaps. A 2026 Saskatchewan provincial audit found 26 of 60 Regina hospital units below the required 80% hand hygiene compliance target, with some units as low as 46.6%. Source: Canadian Healthcare Technology (July 2026).
What are the WHO 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene?
The WHO 5 Moments framework defines the five points during patient care when hand hygiene is required: before touching a patient, before a clean/aseptic procedure, after body fluid exposure risk, after touching a patient, and after touching patient surroundings.
Developed at University Hospital Geneva and adopted into WHO's 2009 hand hygiene guidelines, the framework is designed to be memorable (5 moments = 5 fingers) and mapped to real clinical workflow rather than abstract rules.
Source: Sax H, et al. “My five moments for hand hygiene.” J Hosp Infect 2007;67:9–21. See also: WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care (NCBI Bookshelf).
Which GloGerm product should hospitals use for hand hygiene and surface hygiene training?
Use GloGerm Gel for hand hygiene training at Moments 1, 2, and 4; GloGerm Powder or the Surface Cleaning Detection Gel for Moment 5 and surface-cleaning audits; and GloGerm MIST for airborne/droplet-spread training tied to PPE and masking protocols.
| Product | Best for | WHO Moment / Setting | How it’s applied |
|---|---|---|---|
| GloGerm Gel (8 oz) | Hand hygiene training | Moments 1, 2, 4 — before/after patient contact, before aseptic procedures | Rubbed onto hands like lotion; washes off easily, recommended where staining is a concern |
| GloGerm Oil (8 oz) | Realistic contamination simulation | Same as Gel, where staining isn’t a concern | Original 1968 formula; more resistant to washing, giving a more visceral demonstration |
| GloGerm Powder (4 oz) | Cross-contamination and shared-equipment spread | Moment 5 — after touching patient surroundings | Dusted onto hands or surfaces; transfers by touch, glows brightest under UV |
| Surface Cleaning Detection Gel | Objective surface-cleaning audits | Environmental cleaning verification (bed rails, workstations, shared equipment) | 2–3 drops applied and spread until invisible; any glow after cleaning shows a missed spot |
| GloGerm MIST | Airborne/droplet contamination training | Masking, gowning, cough/sneeze etiquette | Aerosol-free pump spray disperses fluorescent particles to show droplet spread across a room |
Does GloGerm training actually improve hand hygiene compliance?
Yes — a 2025 peer-reviewed study found that a Glo Germ–based assessment and training intervention among hospital cleaning staff cut hand hygiene non-compliance by more than 70% in a single session.
Pre-intervention, 27 of 80 staff (33.75%) showed residual fluorescence after washing; post-intervention, that dropped to 7 of 80 (8.75%), a statistically significant result (p<0.05). Knowledge scores on hand hygiene indications and technique also improved significantly.
Source: Chu et al., “Effectiveness of a Glo Germ-based assessment and educational intervention to improve hand hygiene compliance among hospital cleaning staff,” Frontiers in Public Health, 2025.
Separate Canadian evidence confirms that structured, sustained hand hygiene programs work in hospital settings. The Rouge Valley Health System in Toronto implemented a multi-year accountability program that raised baseline compliance from 40–51% to over 90% sustained. Source: Raggiunti et al., Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control, 2013 (Rouge Valley Health System, Toronto, Canada).
Build a hospital-grade training program
The HAZMAT Kit bundles GloGerm MIST, gel, powder, Surface Cleaning Detection Gel, and a UV flashlight — everything an infection control team needs for a complete hand hygiene and surface audit program.
Shop HAZMAT Kit Shop Surface Detection GelHow do you audit hand hygiene and surface cleaning compliance?
Use the Surface Cleaning Detection Gel on high-touch surfaces before cleaning, then check under UV light after cleaning is complete — any remaining glow marks a spot the cleaning process missed.
This gives infection control teams an objective, repeatable audit method rather than relying on visual inspection alone. High-touch surfaces to target include bed rails, IV poles, call buttons, light switches, workstations, and shared medical equipment.
Full walkthrough in Surface Cleaning Verification in Hospitals: A Practical Approach.
How is hand hygiene training different in long-term care facilities?
Long-term care homes face elevated infection risk from shared living spaces, vulnerable residents, and high staff turnover, making hands-on, repeatable training more effective than one-time orientation sessions.
Residents in long-term care are often immunocompromised or have chronic conditions that increase susceptibility to HAIs. Staff turnover means new employees arrive regularly without institutional knowledge of hygiene protocols. Visual, hands-on training with GloGerm provides a consistent baseline that can be repeated with every onboarding cycle and refresher session.
See Infection Control Training for Long-Term Care Facilities.
About GermWise. GermWise is a division of Marlatek Inc., based in Brockville, Ontario. We supply GloGerm infection-control and hygiene-training products to hospitals, long-term care facilities, and healthcare organizations across Canada.
GloGerm's effectiveness as a hand hygiene training tool is documented in peer-reviewed research, including a 2025 Frontiers in Public Health study on hospital cleaning staff compliance.
Related guides in this series
Everything your infection control team needs
The HAZMAT Kit includes GloGerm MIST, gel, powder, Surface Cleaning Detection Gel, and a UV flashlight — ready for hand hygiene training, surface audits, and airborne contamination demonstrations.
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