Question

When changing a patient's surgical dressing 24 hours postoperatively, when would the nurse apply sterile gloves?

A. After performing hand hygiene at the start of the procedure
B. Before removing the inner dressing
C. After removing the original dressing materials and performing hand hygiene a second time
D. Just before cleansing the wound with sterile water

Answer 1

The nurse should apply sterile gloves after removing the original dressing and performing hand hygiene a second time to prevent contamination during the redressing of the wound.

Step-by-step explanation:

When changing a patient's surgical dressing 24 hours postoperatively, the nurse should apply sterile gloves after removing the original dressing materials and performing hand hygiene a second time. This approach ensures that any contaminants from the old dressing do not carry over during the handling of the new, sterile materials needed to redress the wound. It is essential that hand hygiene be performed thoroughly before and after the removal of gloves and following any contact with potentially infectious materials as per the guidance set out by Joseph Lister, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and other health standards on infection prevention.