Before and after any use of a catheter, what is essential to do?

Before and after any use of a catheter, what is essential to do?

• A. Change the catheter dressing
• B. Wash your hands
• C. Check for patency
• D. Administer an antibiotic

Answer: (B)

Washing hands before and after any use of a catheter is essential for maintaining proper infection control practices in healthcare settings. This action significantly reduces the risk of introducing pathogens that could lead to catheter-related infections. Proper hand hygiene is a critical component in preventing healthcare-associated infections and should always be performed before any procedure that involves direct contact with a patient or a medical device. Although other practices, such as checking for patency, changing catheter dressings, or administering antibiotics, may have their own importance in catheter management and care, hand hygiene is the foundational action that supports all other practices. Thus, hand washing is universally recognized as the first line of defense in infection prevention in medical care settings, particularly when invasive devices like catheters are involved.

Washing hands before and after any use of a catheter is essential for maintaining proper infection control practices in healthcare settings. This action significantly reduces the risk of introducing pathogens that could lead to catheter-related infections. Proper hand hygiene is a critical component in preventing healthcare-associated infections and should always be performed before any procedure that involves direct contact with a patient or a medical device.

Although other practices, such as checking for patency, changing catheter dressings, or administering antibiotics, may have their own importance in catheter management and care, hand hygiene is the foundational action that supports all other practices. Thus, hand washing is universally recognized as the first line of defense in infection prevention in medical care settings, particularly when invasive devices like catheters are involved.