Hand washing should be performed in which scenarios?

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Hand hygiene interrupts transmission of organisms at several critical points in patient care. Washing before touching a patient helps prevent introducing any pathogens on your hands to the patient. Washing after removing gloves is important because removal can transfer contaminants from the glove surfaces to your skin, so cleaning your hands afterward reduces that risk. Washing after handling potentially contaminated materials removes transient microbes you may have picked up, protecting both you and others from onward spread. Because each of these situations has the potential to transfer germs, the best practice is to wash hands in all of them. If hands are visibly dirty or contaminated with bodily fluids, use soap and water; otherwise, an alcohol-based hand rub is also effective for routine decontamination.