What is the primary purpose of hand hygiene in nursing practice?

The primary purpose of hand hygiene in nursing practice is focused on preventing the spread of infections and protecting both healthcare workers and patients. Proper hand hygiene is a critical infection control measure that helps to eradicate pathogenic microorganisms from the hands. This is especially vital in healthcare settings where patients may have weakened immune systems, making them more susceptible to infections. By ensuring that hands are cleaned effectively, nurses can significantly reduce the transmission of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), contributing to improved patient outcomes and safety.

Maintaining a clean work environment is important but secondary to the specific actions of hand hygiene, which directly targets the prevention of infection spread. Compliance with healthcare regulations is certainly a part of nursing practice, but regulations exist because of the recognized importance of hand hygiene in infection control. While reducing the need for gloves may be a consequence of effective hand hygiene, the primary and most important goal remains the safeguarding of health through effective infection control practices.