What action by an assistive personnel (AP) performing hand hygiene requires intervention?

The action requiring intervention is holding hands up and elbows down while washing hands. Proper hand hygiene techniques emphasize keeping the hands lower than the elbows during the washing process. This positioning helps ensure that water and soap don’t flow from the hands back down toward the arms, thereby minimizing the risk of contaminating the hands again after cleaning them. Keeping elbows down allows any contaminants dislodged from the hands to flow away from them, enhancing the effectiveness of the handwashing procedure.

The other actions, such as rubbing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, using an alcohol-based sanitizer, and wiping hands dry with a clean towel, represent appropriate practices. Each reflects accepted guidelines for hand hygiene, ensuring that the hands are cleaned adequately and safely.