According to standard precautions, when should gloves be changed and hands washed?

The correct response concerning when gloves should be changed and hands washed is based on the principle of maintaining safety and preventing contamination during medical procedures. Gloves must be changed whenever they become contaminated with blood or body fluids to prevent the transmission of pathogens. This action is a key component of standard precautions, which advocate for practices that minimize the risk of infection for both healthcare workers and patients.

In addition, hands should be washed after changing gloves, especially following contamination, to ensure any pathogens that might have transferred from the gloves to the hands are effectively removed. This practice helps in maintaining hygiene and reducing the likelihood of cross-contamination between different patients or areas of the body.

Other scenarios, such as moving from a clean site to a contaminated site, handling infectious waste, or touching a patient, do highlight situations requiring attention to hygiene. However, the definitive action of changing gloves must occur when they are visibly contaminated to uphold the highest standards of infection control.