Which statement best describes hand hygiene during medication administration?

• A. Do not wash hands if gloves are worn
• B. Wash hands with soap and water before touching the patient and after
• C. Only wash hands at the end of the shift
• D. Sanitize hands only if patient contact occurs

Answer: (B)

Hand hygiene during medication administration is essential to prevent transferring germs to the patient and to protect yourself. The best approach is to wash hands with soap and water before touching the patient to keep medicines and the patient free from contaminants, and to wash after you have finished the care to remove any organisms picked up during the interaction. Gloves do not replace hand hygiene; you should clean your hands before putting on gloves and after removing them because gloves can tear or become contaminated. If hands are visibly soiled, wash with soap and water; otherwise an alcohol-based sanitizer is effective when used correctly. The other options don’t fit best practices because hand hygiene is required before and after contact, not skipped when wearing gloves, delayed until the end of the shift, or done only if patient contact occurs.