What is the single most important step taken to avoid contamination?

The single most important step taken to avoid contamination is washing hands. This fundamental practice is crucial in any clinical or surgical setting as it significantly reduces the risk of transferring pathogens from one surface to another, including from healthcare personnel to patients or from patient to patient. Hand hygiene is scientifically proven to be the most effective way to prevent the spread of infections, particularly those that can arise during surgical procedures.

While using gloves, protective eyewear, and a transportation barrier all serve important roles in infection control and minimizing exposure to contaminants, they cannot replace the necessity of proper hand hygiene. Gloves may provide a barrier to contamination, but if hands are not adequately washed, contaminants can still be transferred to gloves or from gloves to other surfaces. Protective eyewear helps to prevent splashes from reaching the eyes but does not address the many ways that pathogens can be transmitted through touch. A transportation barrier is useful in protecting instruments or materials but does not impact the direct transmission of pathogens through human contact. Therefore, washing hands remains the cornerstone of infection prevention and control.