When should hand hygiene be performed in care interactions?

• A. Only after contact with blood
• B. Before and after contact
• C. Only before contact
• D. Only during sterile procedures

Answer: (B)

The key idea is preventing the spread of germs by doing hand hygiene at the moments you interact with patients. Hand hygiene should be done before you touch a patient to avoid transferring organisms to them, and after you have touched a patient to remove any organisms you may have picked up. This two-sided approach protects both the patient and you and applies to routine care, not just when blood is involved or during sterile procedures. Limiting hand hygiene to only before or only after misses part of the protection, and focusing it on a single scenario (like only during sterile procedures or only after contact with blood) leaves opportunities for transmission. In real care, perform hand hygiene before any patient contact and after completing care or after touching the patient or their surroundings, using soap and water when hands are visibly dirty or when required, otherwise an alcohol-based hand rub is appropriate.