Question

Nurses should be aware of the routes through which transmission of infections can occur. During the procedure of changing a dressing, if the nurse handles the IV line of the other patient without performing hand hygiene, the infection is likely to spread to the other patient. Therefore, the nurse should perform hand hygiene before handling the IV line. Restoring the patency of the IV line requires the nurse to flush the IV line, which may increase the risk for contracting an infection if performed before hand hygiene. The IV line needs to be unblocked immediately, so the nurse should attend to the patient with the blocked IV line before completing the dressing of the patient with cellulitis. (True/False)

Answer 1

It is false that a nurse should attend to a patient with a blocked IV line before completing dressing a patient with cellulitis. Stringent hand hygiene must be performed between procedures to prevent nosocomial infections and maintain a sterile field.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that a nurse should attend to a patient with a blocked IV line before completing the dressing of another patient with cellulitis is false. Infection control protocols stipulate that hand hygiene is crucial to prevent the transmission of infections. Nurses must wash their hands thoroughly between every patient contact to mitigate the risk of cross-contamination. When dealing with an IV line, particularly when flushing is required to restore patency, it is imperative to perform hand hygiene prior to the procedure to avoid introducing infections.

Contaminated hands can be a conduit for pathogens, leading to potential nosocomial diseases. Iatrogenic and nosocomial infections can occur if proper aseptic technique is not followed. Thus, an unwashed hand that has touched an infected site should certainly not touch an IV line or any sterile equipment used in critical procedures like line insertions or dressing changes.

To maintain a sterile field and reduce the risk of iatrogenic diseases, as well as to adhere to the protocols illustrated by Dr. Pronovost's checklist, the nurse must complete one procedure with all required infection control measures before moving to the next. This is not only critical for patient safety but also is a standard of professional practice for health care workers.