A nurse working in an ICU is performing surgical hand hygiene. After hand washing, they must keep their hands:

Correct option is D

After performing surgical hand hygiene, the hands should be kept above the elbows to allow water to run from the cleanest (fingers) to the least clean (elbows) area. This technique prevents re-contamination of the hands and maintains asepsis during surgical procedures.
Explanation of options: (a) ✘ Comfortable position – Subjective and may compromise sterility. (b) ✘ Below the elbows – Increases risk of contamination from water dripping downward. (c) ✘ Below waist level – Breaks sterile technique; the waistline is considered non-sterile. (d) ✔ Above elbow level – Proper technique to maintain surgical hand hygiene.