When should a nurse perform hand hygiene?

Hand hygiene is a critical aspect of infection control in healthcare settings and should be performed at specific times to minimize the risk of transmitting infections. The correct choice emphasizes that hand hygiene should be practiced before and after patient contact, as well as after removing gloves.

This is important because healthcare providers may come into contact with pathogens during patient interactions, even if the patient does not appear to be infected. Performing hand hygiene before contact helps prevent the introduction of any germs to the patient, while hand hygiene after interaction reduces the risk of carrying pathogens away from the patient to another individual or surface. Additionally, hand hygiene after glove removal is crucial, as gloves can have microscopic tears or may not provide complete protection from contamination.

This comprehensive approach ensures that hand hygiene is adequately integrated into clinical practice, reducing the overall risk of healthcare-associated infections.