NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)Safety and ComplianceEasy
Which of the following is the most effective method for a phlebotomy technician to prevent the spread of infection during routine patient care?
- AWearing a clean lab coat at all times.
- BPerforming hand hygiene before and after every patient encounter.
- CWearing sterile gloves for all venipuncture procedures.
- DRoutinely disinfecting all phlebotomy equipment after each use.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Performing hand hygiene before and after every patient encounter.
Hand hygiene is considered the single most effective measure to prevent the spread of healthcare-associated infections. It physically removes or inactivates transient microorganisms.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. While a lab coat provides barrier protection, it's not the most effective method for preventing spread from technician to patient or patient to technician.
- C. Sterile gloves are not required for routine venipuncture; clean gloves are sufficient. Hand hygiene is still paramount.
- D. Disinfecting equipment is important, but hand hygiene addresses direct contact transmission, which is more frequent.
Hand Hygiene Importance
The practice of washing hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand rub to remove or inactivate microorganisms.
- Most effective way to prevent healthcare-associated infections.
- Required before and after every patient contact.
- Breaks the chain of infection by removing pathogens.
Memory trick: Hands are the 'H'ot 'S'pot, so 'H'and 'H'ygiene is the 'H'ero.