Which action demonstrates proper infection control when entering a resident's room for care?

Which action demonstrates proper infection control when entering a resident's room for care?

• A. Perform care with clean hands and avoid unnecessary contact with surfaces
• B. Enter the room without hand hygiene if no contact occurred
• C. Touch surfaces before washing hands
• D. Wear gloves for all tasks, even when not needed

Answer: (A)

This question tests infection control by emphasizing hand hygiene and minimizing unnecessary surface contact when starting care. Clean hands are the most effective defense against spreading germs. Performing care after hand hygiene—or using an alcohol-based hand rub if hands aren’t visibly soiled—removes transient pathogens from your hands, reducing the chance of transferring them to the resident or to surfaces in the room. Limiting contact with environmental surfaces helps prevent contaminating those surfaces and, in turn, reducing opportunities for pathogens to be transmitted. Choosing not to perform hand hygiene before entering, or touching surfaces before washing hands, increases the risk of spreading infections. Gloving for every task isn’t appropriate either; gloves should be used for specific tasks with exposure risk, and relying on gloves without proper hand hygiene can still spread microbes.

This question tests infection control by emphasizing hand hygiene and minimizing unnecessary surface contact when starting care. Clean hands are the most effective defense against spreading germs. Performing care after hand hygiene—or using an alcohol-based hand rub if hands aren’t visibly soiled—removes transient pathogens from your hands, reducing the chance of transferring them to the resident or to surfaces in the room. Limiting contact with environmental surfaces helps prevent contaminating those surfaces and, in turn, reducing opportunities for pathogens to be transmitted.

Choosing not to perform hand hygiene before entering, or touching surfaces before washing hands, increases the risk of spreading infections. Gloving for every task isn’t appropriate either; gloves should be used for specific tasks with exposure risk, and relying on gloves without proper hand hygiene can still spread microbes.