Is it true or false that hand hygiene is required after contact with a patient's intact skin?

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Hand hygiene is a crucial practice in healthcare to prevent the spread of infections. According to guidelines from organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hand hygiene is specifically recommended after contact with a patient's skin, regardless of whether the skin is intact or not.

The rationale behind this recommendation focuses on the fact that even intact skin may carry bacteria, and hand hygiene helps to minimize any risk of transferring pathogens to other patients or surfaces within the healthcare environment. Proper hand hygiene includes washing hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, both of which effectively reduce the microbial load on healthcare workers' hands.

Therefore, stating that hand hygiene is not required after contact with a patient's intact skin is not aligned with current standards and practices in infection control.

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