Which statement describes a standard step in completing hand hygiene after washing?

Which statement describes a standard step in completing hand hygiene after washing?

• A. Wipe with a towel to dry
• B. Rub hands dry together vigorously
• C. Use the towel to turn off the faucet
• D. Drop the towel and leave hands wet

Answer: (C)

After washing, the main goal is to prevent recontaminating clean hands. Dry your hands with a clean, disposable towel, then use that same towel to turn off the faucet. This keeps your hands from touching a potentially dirty surface and helps maintain the cleanliness you’ve achieved with washing. Leaving the towel or your hands wet would undo the effort, and rubbing hands dry together or simply wiping without addressing the faucet contact doesn’t prioritize preventing recontamination.

After washing, the main goal is to prevent recontaminating clean hands. Dry your hands with a clean, disposable towel, then use that same towel to turn off the faucet. This keeps your hands from touching a potentially dirty surface and helps maintain the cleanliness you’ve achieved with washing. Leaving the towel or your hands wet would undo the effort, and rubbing hands dry together or simply wiping without addressing the faucet contact doesn’t prioritize preventing recontamination.