What is a recommended practice to prevent infection when treating wounds?

• A. Reuse old dressings
• B. Use clean, sterile dressings and wash hands before and after handling wounds
• C. Avoid washing hands
• D. Never use gloves

Answer: (B)

Infection prevention during wound care hinges on keeping the wound environment clean and limiting transmission of bacteria. The best practice is to use clean, sterile dressings and wash your hands before and after handling wounds. Sterile dressings minimize introducing bacteria into the wound, while hand washing removes bacteria from your hands, reducing the chance of contamination to the wound, you, or nearby surfaces and animals. Reusing old dressings can reintroduce bacteria and delay healing. Skipping hand washing increases the risk of spreading infection. Wearing gloves provides an important barrier to protect both you and the animal, and gloves should be used appropriately and changed if they become contaminated. This combination of clean dressings and hand hygiene offers the strongest protection against infection.