Abstract: Lack of proper hand hygiene presented by healthcare professionals may contribute to the spread of infections in patients. An important element in ensuring epidemiological safety while providing health services is a qualified and risk-aware medical staff. Improper hand hygiene is affected by the lack of a right role model. For students of medical professions, this is the lack of a role model which should be found in teachers of the profession and insufficient theoretical and practical knowledge. For young medical staff, this is a lack of role models which should be found among senior medical personnel. Activities that can help in the struggle to improve hand hygiene consist of providing access to a well-tolerated and high quality preparation for disinfecting hands in a closed dosing system. Other such activities involve appointing personnel responsible for their periodic checking, promoting hand hygiene and providing feedback. It also involves providing access to a washbasin with running water and a faucet operated by a sensor, proper selection of dispensers and their correct location. A modern approach to improving patient safety through hand hygiene is a strategy aimed at educating, strengthening the habit of hand hygiene and promoting it at all levels of health protection, among all medical professionals and the general population.

Key words: habit, hand hygiene, health service, hospital infections, medical personnel