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NCLEX · Safety and Infection Control

Which activity requires the nurse to perform hand hygiene?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

Before and after every patient contact, before and after using gloves, after contact with bodily fluids, before a clean/aseptic procedure, after touching patient surroundings even without touching the patient — hand hygiene is required even after removing gloves

  1. A Only before invasive procedures
  2. B Before and after every patient contact, before and after using gloves, after contact with bodily fluids, before a clean/aseptic procedure, after touching patient surroundings even without touching the patient — hand hygiene is required even after removing gloves
  3. C Only when gloves are not used
  4. D Only at the start and end of the shift

Why this is the answer

Who 5 moments of hand hygiene: (1) BEFORE touching the patient; (2) BEFORE a clean/aseptic procedure; (3) AFTER bodily fluid exposure risk; (4) AFTER touching the patient; (5) AFTER touching patient surroundings.

Key points: Hand hygiene AFTER GLOVE REMOVAL — gloves have micro-tears; hands can be contaminated during glove removal; gloves do NOT replace hand hygiene; ALCOHOL-BASED HAND RUB (ABHR): Preferred for most situations — 20-30 second application, rub until dry; MORE EFFECTIVE than soap for most pathogens.

Soap and water required: C. difficile (ABHR does not kill spores); when hands are visibly soiled; after using the toilet; before eating.

Duration: Soap and water = 40-60 seconds; ABHR = 20-30 seconds.

Compliance: Hand hygiene is the single most effective infection control measure; studies show 30-40% compliance among healthcare workers without systematic reminders — compliance saves lives.

Source: NCLEX-PN Safe Care — Hand Hygiene, WHO 5 Moments

Practice more questions

This question is from our NCLEX Practice Tests practice test. Take the full practice test to test your knowledge across all Safety and Infection Control and other topics.

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About this topic: Safety and Infection Control

Safety and infection control questions cover Standard and transmission-based precautions, hand hygiene, fall and injury prevention, restraints, fire safety and handling hazardous materials. This is one of 35 PN: Coordinated Care questions on safety and infection control, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our NCLEX exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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