Which step demonstrates infection control during care?

• A. Use standard precautions and infection control measures when providing care
• B. Greet resident by name, address by name, and introduce self
• C. Ask resident about preferences during care
• D. Collect all garments before removing gown

Answer: (A)

Infection control is about applying standard precautions to prevent the spread of infection during every care activity. The step that best demonstrates this is using standard precautions and infection control measures whenever you provide care. This means practicing hand hygiene before and after resident contact, wearing gloves or other PPE when exposure to body fluids is possible, properly cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and equipment, safely handling and disposing of contaminated items, and managing linens in a way that prevents contamination. These actions directly reduce the risk of transmitting infections between resident and caregiver and across tasks. While greeting the resident respectfully and addressing preferences are important for dignity and personalized care, they do not address infection control. Similarly, collecting garments before removing a gown relates to workflow or privacy, not infection prevention.