In what situation is hand hygiene performed before touching a resident?

Hand hygiene is an essential practice that helps prevent the spread of infection, especially in healthcare settings such as nursing homes. It is particularly critical before any clean or aseptic procedure. This is because clean procedures, which do not involve an entry into sterile body spaces, still require a high degree of cleanliness to minimize contamination and the risk of infections.

By performing hand hygiene before engaging in these types of procedures, healthcare providers effectively reduce the presence of pathogens on their hands, thereby protecting the resident from potential infections from bacteria or viruses that could be transferred during the procedure. This practice is aligned with guidelines from health organizations, emphasizing the importance of cleanliness prior to any action where contamination could occur.

While hand hygiene is also important before eating, before using medical devices, and after visiting another resident, the specific requirement for cleanliness prior to an aseptic or clean procedure makes it a higher priority in this context. This focus on aseptic technique is vital to safeguarding the health of the residents in a nursing home setting.