How should healthcare professionals maintain cleanliness and prevent infection during treatments?

Washing hands regularly is a fundamental practice for healthcare professionals to maintain cleanliness and prevent infection. It significantly reduces the transmission of pathogens, ensuring that both the therapist and client are protected during treatments. Hand hygiene is recognized as one of the most effective measures for preventing healthcare-associated infections. It is crucial because many infectious agents can be transferred from one surface to another, or directly from the hands to a client.

While other practices such as sterilizing equipment, wearing face masks, and using disposable linens contribute to a clean environment and infection control, handwashing is the primary defense mechanism that is easy to implement and highly effective. It forms the cornerstone of infection prevention protocols in any healthcare setting.