Which statement best describes infection control practices between patients?

• A. Practice hand hygiene, use disposable covers, clean equipment between patients, and follow isolation precautions when needed.
• B. Only use gloves for all tasks.
• C. Do not clean equipment between patients.
• D. Never use disposable covers.

Answer: (D)

The key idea is preventing cross-contamination between patients by applying standard infection control practices consistently. The best description includes hand hygiene before and after patient contact, using disposable covers as a barrier for surfaces or equipment, cleaning equipment between patients to remove any remaining contaminants, and following isolation precautions when a patient requires them. This combination addresses the main routes of transmission and keeps care environments safer for everyone.

Using gloves for all tasks is insufficient because gloves do not replace hand hygiene and must be changed between tasks and patients; not cleaning equipment between patients allows contaminants to be carried to the next patient; never using disposable covers removes an important barrier that helps limit surface and equipment contamination.