Question

A nurse is required to clean the open wounds of a client who has been involved in an automobile accident. What intervention would the nurse need to perform when cleaning open wounds to protect himself from infection?

A) Wash hands with alcohol-based hand wash.
B) Wear a pair of sterile latex gloves.
C) Use sterilizing acid to clean the injury.
D) Use sterile solutions such as normal saline.

Answer 1

To protect against infection when cleaning open wounds, a nurse should wear sterile latex gloves as a barrier and follow strict hand hygiene and aseptic protocols.

Step-by-step explanation:

When cleaning open wounds, a nurse should perform certain interventions to protect themselves from infection. This includes wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and following proper hand hygiene protocols. Of the options provided, the best intervention would be B) Wear a pair of sterile latex gloves.

Wearing sterile gloves creates a barrier between the nurse's skin and potential infectious agents. Before donning the gloves, the nurse should perform hand hygiene by thoroughly washing their hands. Using sterile solutions such as normal saline is also critical for the cleansing of the wound itself. Additionally, the nurse should ensure that all procedures are carried out in a sterile field to prevent the introduction of pathogens into the wound. Following guidelines by organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for hand washing or surgical scrubbing will also reinforce the prevention of infection transmission.