When feeding a client, it is important to wipe/wash their hands to ___

When feeding a client, it is important to wipe/wash their hands to ___

• A. Force them to feed themselves
• B. Promote independence
• C. Prevent infection to the NA only
• D. Prevent infection to the resident only

Answer: (D)

Hand hygiene before feeding is about preventing infection through contact. When you wipe or wash the resident’s hands, you’re reducing the chance that germs on your hands will be transferred to the resident’s food, utensils, or mouth during the feeding process. This is a core part of infection prevention and standard precautions, because residents—especially older adults or those with health issues—are more vulnerable to infections. The goal is to protect the resident from illness, not to force independence or to protect only the caregiver; while good hand hygiene also benefits staff, the primary reason in this feeding context is to prevent infection in the resident.

Hand hygiene before feeding is about preventing infection through contact. When you wipe or wash the resident’s hands, you’re reducing the chance that germs on your hands will be transferred to the resident’s food, utensils, or mouth during the feeding process. This is a core part of infection prevention and standard precautions, because residents—especially older adults or those with health issues—are more vulnerable to infections. The goal is to protect the resident from illness, not to force independence or to protect only the caregiver; while good hand hygiene also benefits staff, the primary reason in this feeding context is to prevent infection in the resident.