What is the proper hand hygiene before handling an IV line?

• A. Wearing gloves without washing hands
• B. Thorough hand washing before handling IV
• C. Rinse hands with water only
• D. Use hand sanitizer only

Answer: (B)

Clean hands before handling an IV line are essential to prevent infection. Thorough hand washing with soap and water removes dirt and microorganisms from all hand surfaces and is more effective for this high-risk task than quick rinses or sanitizer alone. When performing this, scrub all areas of the hands for about 20 seconds, then rinse and dry with a clean towel. If hands are visibly dirty, washing is required; if they are not visibly soiled, an alcohol-based sanitizer can be used, but washing remains the stronger approach for IV line care. Gloves do not replace hand hygiene—hand hygiene should be done before putting on gloves and after removing them, since gloves can have micro-perforations and contamination can occur during removal.