What is the appropriate action after contacting a resident's surroundings?

Using hand hygiene after coming into contact with a resident's surroundings is essential in maintaining a clean and safe environment. Hand hygiene involves washing hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer to eliminate pathogens that may have been transferred from surfaces to your hands. This action is critical in preventing the spread of infections and protecting both the healthcare worker and the resident.

While the use of gloves and changing gear may also be relevant in specific contexts, hand hygiene is universally applicable and should always be performed after contact with any environment, regardless of whether gloves were used. It acts as a primary defensive measure against cross-contamination. Disinfecting surfaces can be a necessary action to take but usually follows the hand hygiene practice, especially after significant contamination has occurred.