What should a nurse do to minimize contamination after washing hands?

Minimizing contamination after handwashing is crucial to maintaining hygiene and preventing the spread of pathogens. Using a towel to turn off the faucet is correct because it helps avoid recontaminating your hands after they have just been washed. The towel acts as a barrier between clean hands and the potentially contaminated faucet handle.

This method ensures that hands remain clean for the subsequent tasks, especially in a healthcare setting where maintaining sterile conditions is vital. By using a towel, the nurse can effectively prevent transferring germs from the faucet back onto their hands, which is essential for infection control practices.

Other options may lead to hand contamination. For example, turning off the faucet with bare hands directly after washing can transfer bacteria from the faucet back onto the hands. Leaving the water running until hands are completely dried could also contribute to contamination, as this may involve touching taps or other surfaces that have not been cleaned. Using a hand dryer does not prevent touch contamination, as there is still a risk of touching the dryer itself after washing.