Before entering a room with contact precautions, what should be performed first?

Performing hand hygiene is essential before entering a room with contact precautions because it significantly reduces the risk of transmitting harmful pathogens. Hand hygiene involves cleaning your hands thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. This practice removes potential contaminants from your hands, ensuring that you do not introduce any infectious agents into the patient's room or onto yourself.

In a healthcare setting, the importance of hand hygiene cannot be overstated, especially in environments where contact precautions are necessary for certain infections. By prioritizing hand hygiene, you are taking a crucial first step in infection control, safeguarding both your own health and that of your patients. This foundational practice supports the overall goal of preventing healthcare-associated infections and protects vulnerable individuals from harm.

The other options, such as putting on gloves or a mask, are important steps that follow hand hygiene, but they do not replace the necessity of cleaning your hands first. Checking patient records is also vital for ensuring safe patient care but is not an immediate priority before entering a room under contact precautions.