Which statement about hand hygiene practices is true?

Which statement about hand hygiene practices is true?

• A. Hand hygiene should be performed before and after patient contact
• B. Hand hygiene is optional after glove removal
• C. Hand sanitizer should never substitute for soap and water
• D. Hand hygiene is only required after patient contact

Answer: (D)

Hand hygiene is performed at key moments to prevent transmission. The best practice is to clean your hands both before you touch a patient and after you finish care, including after removing gloves. Cleaning before contact protects the patient from the organisms you might carry, while cleaning after contact reduces the risk of spreading those organisms to others or to the environment. Alcohol-based hand rub is effective and can substitute for soap and water when hands are not visibly dirty; soap and water is required when hands are visibly dirty or after certain exposures to bodily fluids. After glove removal, hand hygiene is still necessary because gloves can tear or become contaminated during removal. Statements that hygiene is only after patient contact or that it’s optional after glove removal aren’t accurate, and saying sanitizer should never substitute for soap and water misses situations where sanitizer is appropriate.

Hand hygiene is performed at key moments to prevent transmission. The best practice is to clean your hands both before you touch a patient and after you finish care, including after removing gloves. Cleaning before contact protects the patient from the organisms you might carry, while cleaning after contact reduces the risk of spreading those organisms to others or to the environment. Alcohol-based hand rub is effective and can substitute for soap and water when hands are not visibly dirty; soap and water is required when hands are visibly dirty or after certain exposures to bodily fluids. After glove removal, hand hygiene is still necessary because gloves can tear or become contaminated during removal. Statements that hygiene is only after patient contact or that it’s optional after glove removal aren’t accurate, and saying sanitizer should never substitute for soap and water misses situations where sanitizer is appropriate.