What is the first step in proper hand hygiene before resident care?

• A. Apply soap
• B. Wet hands
• C. Rinse
• D. Dry with a disposable towel

Answer: (B)

Wetting hands with clean, running water is the first step in proper hand hygiene. Starting with wet hands prepares the skin so soap can spread evenly, helping to loosen and lift dirt, oils, and microorganisms. Without wetting, the soap won’t lather effectively and debris may not be removed as well. Turning on the faucet and wetting your hands also helps prevent contaminating your hands from dirty water or sink surfaces, setting up the rest of the cleaning steps (soap, scrubbing, rinsing, and drying) to work correctly. After wetting, you would apply soap and proceed with the standard sequence to remove pathogens before resident care.