Which steps help reduce infection risk when providing first aid on a plane?

• A. Use PPE, cover coughs and sneezes, avoid touching face, and follow cleaning policies.
• B. Skip hand hygiene to save time.
• C. Disinfect gloves and reuse.
• D. Wash hands with water only.

Answer: (A)

Reducing infection risk in a crowded, confined space like an aircraft comes down to barrier protection and proper hygiene. Wearing appropriate personal protective equipment before and during care creates a barrier between you and potential pathogens, helping protect both you and the patient. Encouraging the patient to cover coughs and sneezes limits the spread of respiratory droplets in close quarters. Avoiding touching your face reduces the chance that germs picked up from surfaces are transferred to the eyes, nose, or mouth. Following cleaning policies ensures any equipment and surfaces involved are properly disinfected according to the airline’s procedures, minimizing contamination.

Skipping hand hygiene increases the chance of transferring germs during care. Reusing gloves after disinfecting them is unsafe because gloves are designed for single use and can harbor contaminants. Washing hands with water only is less effective than using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, which more reliably removes or kills germs.